The Legend of Zelda : Twisted Legacy
by Gamesplayers
Summary: Eighteen years before, Ganondorf was slain. Eighteen years before, the Hero of Time left Hyrule, and behind himself, a legacy of chaotic events and people who's story was not finished, who's world and life had only started... This is the story of their lives, of the Twisted Legacy that they have become. Twisted Destiny's sequel, read that one before please. R&R! Violence, sex, etc.
1. Prologue

The Legend of Zelda :

Twisted Legacy

Prologue

_Castle Town, 18 years earlier_

In the middle of the night, she screamed and cried at the top of her lungs as the veins in her arms and hands popped out with all the strength she displayed. In her right eye, a vein exploded. Fingers firmly wrapped around the sheets, or anything she could find, she pushed with all her might. Face red, eyes closed, she sobbed between the peaks of pain as she felt her skin rip apart and the blood run down her thighs, buttocks and lower back, staining the mattress and the sheets underneath her.

"It's coming, keep pushing!" Said the midwife.

"I am pushing, for Nayru's sake!" She screamed, growled.

And she thought that she was about to die, right there. It was an assassination; it was a long-planned murder. She was ripped apart by some alien form coming out of her belly. She thought about Isca, wondered where he was when she needed him, his strength.

And she refused to think about Link. Refused to imagine what it would have been like if he had been there to hold her hands as she was giving birth.

But she wasn't alone, at least. Zelda was beside her, hands clapped over her mouth as she watched with wide eyes the Twili eject a baby out of her body.

In other circumstances, Tatl would have laughed to see Zelda looking so frightened, in her nightgown, her hair messy and falling all over her face and shoulders. She looked more like a terrified child than a queen.

But the thought disappeared from her mind as a great needle of pain went through her spine. She jerked her head back in the pillow and screamed at the top of her lungs, digging her nails into the sheet so deeply that it left mark into her palm.

"That's it, it's coming!" The midwife announced. The head of the baby came out. "Another effort, milady, and it will be over!"

Screaming madly, Tatl obeyed, showing her teeth as she pushed with all her strength, getting dizzy from all the effort.

The shoulders of the infant appeared and she midwife grabbed them softly, pulling the child out to help it, welcome it into this cold world.

Tatl let an immense sigh escaped her lips as she felt the baby coming out, and she laid back into the bed, feeling better already.

"It's a girl." Announced the midwife.

The Twili smiled and laughed softly, then coughed because her throat was too dry. Zelda reached for her limp hand and squeezed it with enthusiasm. It was done, she had given birth.

The baby cried violently and the midwife smiled. It was a very healthy girl with light brown hair and pale skin. She'd probably look like her mother. Zelda walked over to the baby, taking a look at it as well. She laughed quietly.

"Hello there, young lady." With the tip of her index, the queen caressed the little hand.

"Be careful, your majesty, she's very fragile." Said the midwife as she started to clean up the crying baby.

Still on the bed, Tatl winced as she felt pain in her belly once again. She didn't worry, though. Hadn't she just given birth and wasn't she ripped apart? It must have been quite normal to still feel the stings of the injury.

And then, she had another contraction.

"I… It still hurts…" Said the Twili, feeling more and more uncomfortable.

"It's quite normal, milady." Said the midwife.

"No, it… It's as if I was giving birth again- Oh! It's pushing!"

Again, Tatl spread her legs as cold sweat covered her body. What the Hell was happening?

The midwife turned around and gasped. "There's another one!" She handed the bloody baby girl to Zelda who stood still like a statue, staring at the Twili as she started to scream again.

Tatl pushed and screamed, this time digging her nails right into her skin, drawing blood. She growled, yelled, bit her lips and was suddenly sure that she was about to die from the pain.

"It's coming, it's coming!" Announced the midwife.

Again, with all the strength she could gather, Tatl shook entirely as she pushed out the baby right into the welcoming hands of the midwife.

And before she could announce anything, it was already crying out loud vigorously, as if pleading to be brought into the world.

The midwife smiled widely as she took the energetic, small creature into her hand.

"It's a very strong, blonde boy!"


	2. Chapter I

_**I watch the city burn,**__**  
**__**These dreams like ashes float away.**__**  
**__**Your voice I never heard,**__**  
**__**Only silence…**__**  
**__**Where were you when our hearts were bleeding?**__**  
**__**Where were you when it all crashed down?**__**  
**__**Never thought that you'd deceive me…**__**  
**__**Where are you now?**__**How long can you stand the pain?**__**  
**__**How long will you hide your face?**__**  
**__**How long will you be afraid?**__**  
**__**Are you afraid?**__**  
**__**How long will you play this game?**__**  
**__**Will you fight or will you walk away?**__**  
**__**How long will you let it burn?**__**  
**__**Let it burn…**__**  
**__**Let it burn!**__**I watch the city burn,**__**  
**__**These passions slowly smoldering.**__**  
**__**A lesson never learned…**__**  
**__**Only violence…**__**  
**__**Is your world just a broken promise?**__**  
**__**Is your love just a drop of rain?**__**  
**__**Will we all just burn our fire?**__**  
**__**Are you still there?**__**How long can you stand the pain?**__**  
**__**How long will you hide your face?**__**  
**__**How long will you be afraid?**__**  
**__**Are you afraid?**__**  
**__**How long will you play this game?**__**  
**__**Will you fight or will you walk away?**__**  
**__**How long will you let it burn?**__**  
**__**Let it burn…**__**  
**__**Let it burn!**__**Will you wait until it all burns down?**__**  
**__**Will you hide until it all burns down?**__**  
**__**Will it hurt when it all burns down?**__**  
**__**Will you fight when it all burns down?**__**Will you stand when it all burns down?**__**  
**__**Will you love when it all burns down?**__**  
**__**Will it end when it all burns down?**__**  
**__**Will you just let it all burns down…?**__**How long can you stand the pain?**__**  
**__**How long will you hide your face?**__**  
**__**How long will you be afraid?**__**  
**__**Are you afraid…?**__**  
**__**How long will you play this game?**__**  
**__**Will you fight or will you walk away?**__**  
**__**How long will you let it burn?**__**  
**__**Let it burn…**__**  
**__**Let it burn…!**_

_**Let it Burn**_**, Red. Album: Until We Have Faces. This is the song that pretty much sums up the story that you are about to read.**

**As I have done in Twisted Destiny, I'm offering you the prologue as well as the first chapter in this first update.**

**Now, how are you, folks?**

**Warning : Twisted Legacy will be darker, more violent and brutal that Twisted Destiny was. You shall know this before reading. Some difficult, twisted things will be happening. You shall see.**

**But for the time being, please just read and enjoy. Reviews are highly appreciated and WELCOME BACK TO YOU, MY OLD READERS! **

**=D**

**Gamesplayers**

* * *

I

He saw the boat through the pouring rain and though he knew it well, he had a hard time identifying it. It was raining so much…

_Will.. I be… on time?_

He ran into the water, its weight slowing him down. He breathed heavily, the cold wind and temperature making his lungs burn. The coldness hugged him, the racket of the rain falling into the water filled his ears as his muscles ached.

He couldn't scream, no one would hear.

_What have… I done… Again? Haven't I learned… Anything?_

He cursed, didn't mind his hair sticking to his face. Nothing could stop him now.

His jaws shook violently from the winter cold. He wore barely anything; he hadn't taken the time to dress up correctly. He had to hurry.

_Forgive me!_

He tried to push more, tried to run faster. A wave crashed against his knee and it was all it took to throw him into the unforgiving sea. Swallowed by the water, his body ejected what air he still had in his lungs as the winter sea was too cold and his body too hot.

Yet, he managed to find the sand beneath him.

_Get up! No time!_

He rose; look left and right until he found where the ship was. When he spotted it, he turned and ran again, his thighs shaking under his weight.

He was getting closer, and his heart sank as he saw that the ship was leaving shore.

"_Melody!"_

No answer. He jumped into the wave until the water reached his waist.

"_Melody!"_

He couldn't let her go. He couldn't. It would be the greatest mistake of his life. A life filled with mistakes.

In the rain, he couldn't see on the deck. Yet, she stood there, trying to find through the storm, from where his voice came.

In the water, his heart was about to explode, his brains seemingly getting swollen with each beat.

"_Forgive me!"_

The waves washed over him, his stature being not imposing enough, they dragged him closer to the shore, farther from the ship. He fought their strength, until his muscles gave up and beyond that, screamed her name.

And the rain poured down, the sky darkened. The ship seemed unmoved; his heart beat with the Time.

And it rained so much. He couldn't see, couldn't hear.

Not even when the small boat arrived close to him. He looked up at the ship, up until she was behind him, in her barque, wearing in a red raincoat, her hair so beautifully curled up into the hood, framing her pale visage.

He turned around, skin almost grey, lips turning blue, hair soaked and stuck to his face.

"_Stay."_

* * *

_Hyrule, Castle Town._

It was a beautiful day. Most days were beautiful in spring, in Hyrule. Even in Castle Town, the sun seemed to shine very brightly. It was that kind of weather that made even the poor feel good about their lives. It was the kind of day that people walked outside and talked amongst each other without knowing who they were previously. The kind of day that made even the Royal Guards smile and be nice to the citizens.

It also was that kind of day that Tatl liked spending outside, in her large gardens, reading or talking with whoever would find her. Sometimes, it was Zelda. Some other times, it would be one of the Sheikahs or her children. But it rarely was Isca. Nevertheless, she smiled up at the sun, at the sky as blue as Midna's eyes.

And on that very day, she was sitting outside with Zelda, her queen and old friend, as they drank tea and talked together about all sorts of things. In their thirties, both women couldn't be more beautiful. Zelda hadn't lost her sparkles of youth, she hadn't gained many wrinkles, but the wisdom in her eyes had grown. She was as slim as before, not curvier than when she was young. She was just the same. She hadn't married and didn't count on doing so; no man had stirred her passion through all this time but one single individual who happened to be married to the very woman she was spending time with. And thus, Hyrule had no heir at the present time.

Tatl, on her side, had taken Isca's name almost twenty years ago. She was the mistress of their mansion and the mother of three wonderful children: Midna and Kar –the non-identical twins- and Mathias, her youngest son. Contrarily to Zelda, Tatl had matured; with her pregnancies, the choice hadn't been hers. She always had been round, and that hadn't changed with the time. Only now, the energy that used to light up her pink eyes was gone and had been replaced with motherly qualities and nostalgia.

Tatl seemed to breathe nostalgia. As soon as she became lost in thoughts, it wasn't hard for anyone who knew her and her past to know where her mind was gone… And even though she had successfully forgotten about _him_ in the first years of her marriage, she now missed _him_ more than ever.

In fact, no one who had known Link could forget about him. He had left behind him a scar, a deep one, that couldn't leave any of his old companions.

So Zelda was sitting across Tatl as they enjoyed the sun, most of the time they wouldn't even talk and merely enjoy each other's company. But today, both women felt like talking.

"Are the twins going to be married soon?" Asked the queen.

Tatl took a sip of her tea. "Isca wants them to be married soon." She put her cup down. "But they both fight against it. Kar is too immature for such commitment and we know it all, he included. Midna just hates the idea of being forced into wedding."

"And Mathias?"

Tatl shook her head. "He may be ten times readier than his brother, he is still too young in my opinion. And Isca wished for him to become a soldier."

Zelda laughed softly. "Can he handle a sword, now?"

The Twili sighed and shook her head. "No… and Isca won't accept the artistic tendencies of the child… Or any of his other tendencies…"

"Hm…"

Mathias, though attractive, was unable to even look at a woman –or at anyone else- without blushing lightly. It frustrated him, and his father, that the boy couldn't be manly enough to even say "Hi" to a neighbor.

"He likes to write poetry." Said Tatl. "He likes to read, he likes music and when he thinks he's alone, he even sings." The turquoise-haired woman smiled with affection as she traced the rim of her cup. "He trains his swordplay with Kar quite often, but he makes no real progress."

"Mathias is a sweet child." Said Zelda, taking a sip of her tea.

Tatl nodded. "Too sweet for this family…"

For a moment, both women kept quiet.

"And how is Midna and Kar's education going?" Asked the blonde woman, trying to break the silence.

The Twili laughed. "Midna is as stubborn as a rock when it comes to learning how to be a good wife and a good mother, she would prefer to learn how to use a sword, she once screamed at the top of her lungs, throwing a vase at her teacher at the same time." Tatl laughed. "And Kar… He's the reason why there is always action in the mansion: when he's not being punished by Isca, he is doing something that will get him punished, and he almost breaks every door he closes. Besides this, he trains a lot, has good grades in his classes and goes out at night to do things I wish not to think about."

Zelda laughed softly. "That, weirdly, makes me think about somebody…"

Tatl's face fell. "Yes… A lot." Her voice held bitterness.

The blonde's smile faded. "I shouldn't have mentioned him, I apologize."

"It's fine, don't worry, Zel. I can't live my life ignoring what happened back then."

The queen nodded lightly. "Indeed…"

It was just impossible to ignore, after all.

* * *

Olwen hummed as he cooked. He had gained the job of being the family's chief, and he sincerely loved it. He probably was the first Sheikah in the History of his people to rest his daggers for a spoon and a fork, and he surely did not dislike it. Wearing a white attire with a chief's hat (which he adored), it was hard to guess his age, for his features had always been the same: pale skin, red eyes and silver hair. Now in his forties, he simply had a few more wrinkles and, maybe, slightly paler hair.

He enjoyed cooking all day long, and Sheik –who simply hadn't changed at all- enjoyed spending his life with him as the family's butler. They were Sheikahs, meant to serve noble families, and they were doing it right. Frankly, neither of them missed the fights and the stress of the missions.

Both Sheikahs were in the kitchen, Olwen was spicing up a vegetable soup while Sheik stood by a large window, staring outside at Zelda and Tatl as they seemed to be having a deep conversation. Life was pretty normal and average, now in Hyrule, without the tornado that had been Link. What he had left in his trails had been long and hard to rebuild and pick-up, but in the end, it had been done. And though Sheik missed him every day, he had come to the conclusion that wherever he could have been, he was better there than in Hyrule, and Hyrule was better with him being away then within its borders.

Life was going by, quiet and calm.

The kitchen door flew open and hit the wall behind in a loud noise. Sheik turned around to spot the grinning face of Kar.

Life was quiet and calm, when Kar wasn't around.

The child was fairly tall and athletic, with light beige skin that easily turned to golden under the sun. He had sharp features, defined jaws and cheekbones, as well as piercing, deep green eyes. However, he had full lips and a small, straight nose that was almost feminine. He had inherited severe brows and a charming smirk that could drive any young woman crazy, and that was without mentioning his golden, wavy hair that he kept messy, so some wavy, golden strands would fall around his face. Added to his magnificent self was a pretty good dose of charisma, a fiery temper and too much energy. He couldn't go unnoticed, for not only was he handsome: he was loud as Hell.

Having Kar around for more than half an hour was painful to most, but Sheik somehow knew how to handle such behavior… He knew it too well.

And so, Kar introduced himself in the kitchen. "Is it ready soon? I'm dying of hunger!" Announced the blonde with over-dramatic gestures, making the Sheikahs twitch at the same time.

Olwen sighed. "Do you ever stop complaining _or_ eating?" He asked, not bothering to turn around. Though slightly irritated by the over-dramatic and energetic child, Olwen couldn't help but to love him like a grandchild.

"Sometimes, but you're not there, when that happens." Said the blonde, grinning.

The butler chuckled. "Go play, child. You'll know when it'll be ready."

Kar sighed, and pouted, looking with pleading eyes at Sheik.

The older man raised a brow, then shook his head. "You heard Olwen. Go play. I won't beg him in your place."

Kar raised his arms in the air. "No one understands me, in here!"

"No." Said both Sheikahs as they returned to their occupations.

The young Hylian whined, the turned around and left the kitchen, closing the door too violently behind him, making Sheik jump lightly.

But he hadn't done so in purpose, he too was a tornado…

* * *

Kar went up the stairs to the large, second floor of the mansion. He gritted his teeth, and mumbled as he put his hands into his pockets with some violence. He was hungry, for Farore's sake!

He resigned and sighed. Sometimes, he hated himself for being the child that he still was. He would irritate himself, feel like he was an idiot and then be in a bad mood for hours.

Kar headed towards his large bedroom, thinking about studying –for the first time in his life, perhaps-, intending to punish himself for his childish behavior, when he heard cries that he knew better than anyone else. The blonde rolled his eyes and shook his head before changing direction. Some fiery twin sister needed to be calmed down, very apparently.

He reached for her bedroom door, which flew open violently as his right hand neared the knob. Four maids and servants came running out, as the beautiful Midna appeared behind them, eyes piercing as a mad wolf's and face red like a lobster.

Kar raised an eyebrow, Midna raised her hand up in the air.

"And don't ever try to teach me how to pamper a man again! I'd prefer die than be a trophy wife!" Spat the greenish-brunette at her servants. The pale beauty fumed angrily as she stared at the now empty hall. Yet, she felt a presence besides her. She turned her head slowly towards her brother.

Kar swallowed his saliva as he stared at the dangerously angered face of his sister. "Hum… Hello." He whispered.

Midna stared at him, even growled, showing white fangs… Before she finally sighed. For a moment, she closed her eyes, feeling a wild headache take control of her cranium. With shaking hands, she finally decided to put sense back into her hair. She fastened a large, messy bun at the base of her neck with her light, greenish-brown hair. "What do you even want?"

"I heard you scream. Thought I could come and change your mind." The young man shrugged, smiling softly to his sibling.

Midna looked up, her piercing, cold blue eyes seemingly raping her brother's soul. "I guess you can. Just come in." She waved dismissively as she turned around and entered her bedroom. "Close the door behind you. Softly, please."

Kar sighed, irritated, but obeyed. He came to sit down on her comfortable bed as Midna turned her back to him to stare out the window.

Midna had inherited her mother's beauty: pale skin, full lips and curves to die for. Though she was a little taller and slender, she looked a lot like the Twilight Princess. While Tatl liked to show her figure, the half-Hylian girl preferred hiding her body with long dresses with high collars. She usually had an almost severe look as she wished to be considered hostile by the males she met.

However, she might have looked like her mother, her mind was quite different.

Midna was about to get married to the first noble man that would satisfy her father and she would therefore occupy the very prestigious role of housewife. Not that Tatl had wished for that role, or that life herself… But into her daughter's mind, she seemed comfortable in that position.

This was not going to happen to Midna, she had sworn to herself. Not only was she not going to marry a man she didn't know, she would not marry without love. She did not wish for a wedding resembling her parent's…

She envied Kar: he was a man, and the eldest son of the family. Therefore, he had many, many rights that she would never have, like choosing her husband or being allowed to learn other things than how to make a male happy and how to raise crying babies. Even Mathias had more rights than her, and the poor boy wasn't treated as a king…

She hated her life, her condition, her sex.

Behind, Kar stared at her back as he too was lost in thoughts.

So they barely heard Mathias when he sneaked into the room. The boy came to sit beside his brother. The blonde acknowledged him, nodding. Mathias nodded back before turning his eyes down on his hands.

"So… What are you two up to…?" He asked, voice weak, as always.

Kar shrugged. "Nothing much, as you can see."

Midna didn't flinch; she kept looking out the window, her fingers apparently digging into the concrete of the wall with strength, as her knuckles became white.

Kar decided to change the subject. He turned to his brother. "You trained, recently?"

Mathias nodded lightly, bangs of dark hair falling around his face. "Hm. I have."

"So?"

The boy shrugged. "I'm as useless as always."

Mathias sighed and Kar stared at him. The youngest of the three children was probably the most miserable –in Kar's opinion- : at least, Midna and Kar were able to stand up for themselves. Mathias couldn't have saved his own life even if he had to stand up against a banana.

So against their father, the child could do nothing.

And that was, in itself, one of life's greatest mystery into Kar's mind: Isca loved Mathias more than the blonde and his twin sister, that was clear to anyone who'd spend more than two minutes with the whole family. And not only was that clear, but Mathias was, though younger, taller than Kar and larger. The boy was big, tan skinned with dark brown hair, he had sharp, large jaws and deep, somewhat purplish-blue eyes. He was nearly identical to their father and sincerely, most probably as strong. Yet, he couldn't lift a sword off the ground without cutting his own hand, or someone else's.

And that wouldn't have been such a shame if Mathias hadn't been destined to follow his father's steps.

As the eldest son of the family, Kar had inherited the brilliant role of being the next noble man and therefore, orient his interests towards commerce and politics. Though the blonde preferred girls and food to these disciplines, he was good at them. But what he was really, incredibly skilled at, was swinging a sword.

As for Mathias, since he was the youngest, he was destined to become a knight. Yet, the child had immense talents in poetry and arts; he was more sensible than Midna and softer than a kitten. He couldn't lift a sword without risking his own life, even though he'd trained eternally.

Mathias was deadly terrified of Isca, even though the knight commander was calm and considerate with the child. He would show him over and over again something, teach him endlessly and would have infinite patience with him. Yet, Mathias couldn't keep his jaws from shaking around the man, which made Isca quite upset.

Kar, on the other side, pleaded to get the knight's attention as he did all he could to be the best in everything; he was good in his classes and an excellent fighter. Yet, his father wouldn't do much but smile weakly to him, often without even looking at the blonde. There were no reasons, in Kar's mind, as to why he was being rejected that way. He couldn't understand, and he would never understand. But at least, for the blonde boy, he knew well that he was his mother's favorite. She would look at him with love that he didn't know somebody could feel for him. And somewhere into her magenta eyes, something that he couldn't understand lingered…

Midna sighed, she relaxed her grip around the concrete and her shoulders fell lightly. She turned around, facing her brothers, as the light coming from the window surrounded her, brightening the contours of her body, and darkening the rest of her silhouette. "Let's go take a walk before dinner."

The boys looked at each other, then at her. They got up.

And the trio exited the mansion. Mathias closed the doors behind them.

* * *

The castle had been rebuilt over the years, and it was, though smaller, more impressive than ever. Instead of the old, white and tall château that it was, Hyrule Castle was now larger than high and fitted with the Victorian age that it had entered: perfectly lined-up, pale, grey stones formed its walls and towers. The windows were all wide and identical. The towers were placed at each extremity of the castle, symmetrically. In the center of the large, impressive mass of stones, the gardens that had been part of the old castle had remained. It had taken lots of work to flatten the earth and make flowers bloom again, but they were there, in all their glory.

And beside that immense castle, an old building remained, one that had been part of the old castle: the Royal Guard's headquarters. It had never been an immense casern, but it didn't lack impressiveness. Still white to fit the old, destroyed château, the building looked like a mansion in itself, but way more severe and straight.

Lieutenant Gregory was in charge of the casern. Since Isca had assigned him there, the training facility was doing incredibly well: the men were trained, the place was clean and functional and even the horses seemed happy. Schedules were respected and the guards were where they had to.

Isca could have done it, but he knew that he wasn't the best to take care of such details: he wasn't a perfectionist like Gregory was. And frankly, he didn't spent enough time in a day at the headquarters to take care of it and the men. He was the commander, and as a good leader, he had recognized his weaknesses with bureaucracy and therefore, had given half of his responsibilities to Gregory, which had proven to be one of his best decisions at this day.

And into his wide bureau, sitting at his desk, his back to wide windows giving on the front of the castle, Gregory let his head fall back when it was time to leave.

The pale, blonde man sighed lightly as he finally dropped his ink-less feather on his large desk. He had been reading, signing and writing documents all day, and now it was finally time to go home. Gregory got up, his tired, grey eyes carefully studying the room to make sure that everything was in order. Without his heavy armor, that day, he felt nearly naked and small, though he was a very tall and well-built man. For any Royal Guard, the armor had become a second skin, something that you couldn't easily take off and forget about. It always took a certain time before enjoying the wind as it hit the skin, after a hard day at work.

Thoughtful, he ran a hand through his shoulder-long, very straight pale hair. Getting older, his once golden locks had started to take a more silvery color, so did his clean-cut beard that followed his jaws from ear to ear.

It was Friday, the week was over and he was about to find his boss and best friend for a quick turn at the tavern before heading home.

The halls of the casern weren't empty, even on a Friday night, though. The guards were still on duty, the lower officers too. As Gregory made his way down to the armor room, two sergeants ran past him, visibly in a hurry as they talked about an altercation that had turned badly in the middle of the town.

Gregory almost smirked, thinking that he'd find the report on his desk Monday, along with at least ten others. Criminality had lowered in the past eighteen years –since Ganondorf had been disposed of-, but it was still high as the population hadn't completely transited from the old, dirty ways of the kingdom to its more industrialized, actual life. Therefore, an important gap existed between the rich and nobles who were evolving along with the flow, and the poor and the beggars who couldn't keep up with the technological progress of the rising kingdom, which didn't help at all the criminal rates in the city.

Nevertheless, the blonde man finally reached the armor room, dodging a recruit as he almost ran away from the room with a frightened expression on his face. Gregory smiled; he knew too well why the young man was running away.

The lieutenant pushed the door open and entered the room. In front of him, in the back, he could not miss his captain, who was turning his shirtless back to him.

Gregory crossed his arms over his chest, smiling. "What did you do to make that youngster run away?"

Isca looked above his shoulder at his second in-command before returning to his armor rack. "Nothing at all." His low voice resonated in the room.

In fact, the lieutenant knew very well that Isca had probably not even spoken to the terrified recruit: Isca was simply terrorizing everyone. Not that the men was violent, brutal or inspired fear, no. His stature and personality inspired so much respect and submissiveness that people tended to run away from him, including his own family.

Isca sighed as he dressed up slowly. The day had been rough, as every other day had been for the past eighteen years. He hated being stuck in the bureau or into congress of any sorts, so he left most of that job to Gregory, and he kept the missions, the patrols and the action to himself. But it was getting hard for him; he was getting older, as the few strands of whitening hair hidden amongst his brown mane were showing. Physically, he was in an incredible shape, but his mind was becoming weary.

His features had become harder with the time; he was no longer the young, innocent man that he had been, staring at the world with wide, dark blue eyes and astonishment. He was a veteran, now, the scars all over his tanned skin showed it well, so did his three days beard that he seemed to always have, nowadays.

Isca finally turned around to face his lieutenant, his trusty friend, the only person who had always been with him all his life and nodded. They were ready for their weekly turn at the local tavern.

* * *

Isca stood before the mansion, his house, his home. He knew he would walk in, and perhaps Tatl would be there to welcome him. Then it would be dinner time for the family: Midna would complain about having to marry soon, Kar would encourage her or anger her, the twins would fight and Isca would have to stop them. Mathias would try to disappear on sight and Tatl would probably wait patiently that it would be over, more or less trying to do something.

Then everyone would go do whatever they wanted, alone, and Kar would close the doors harshly behind him. Night would come, Isca would take his side of the bed, Tatl the other, and without touching, they'd sleep.

At the thought, Isca considered running away. He couldn't understand why, in the world, his life had become like this… He had given himself -heart and soul- to his work and family. He had given Tatl and the children all he could, gave the Twili and the twins a life they _shouldn't_ have had. Yet, all he saw into their eyes was anger, nostalgia and unhappiness.

Isca had been a faithful husband, a present father and a strict instructor: he had taught the children everything he could, had given Tatl everything she wanted to make her smile.

But it wasn't enough.

He had never been enough.

And she did not smile.

And every single night, these were the thoughts that crossed his mind as he entered the large mansion that he did not called a home anymore…

* * *

**Thank you, Lydia, for your contribution to this story.**

**Thank you for reading this first chapter. I do not know at what pace I will update, but I'll try to be quick, since I don't have such a hard schedule right now…**

**Anyway, don't forget to review!**

**Until we write again,**

**Gamesplayers.**


	3. Chapter II

**Welcome to chapter 2!**

_**Couldn't save you from the start.**__**  
**__**Love you so it hurts my soul.**__**  
**__**Can you forgive me for trying again?**__**  
**__**Your silence makes me hold my breath…**__**  
**__**Oh, time has passed you by!**_

_**Ooh, for so long I've tried to shield you from the world…**__**  
**__**Ooh, you couldn't face the freedom on your own!**__**  
**__**Here I am left in silence…**_

_**You gave up the fight!**__**  
**__**You left me behind!**__**  
**__**All that's done's forgiven.**__**  
**__**You'll always be mine,**__**  
**__**I know deep inside…**__**  
**__**All that's done's forgiven.**_

_**I watched the clouds drifting away…**__**  
**__**Still the sun can't warm my face.**__**  
**__**I know it was destined to go wrong,**__**  
**__**You were looking for the great escape…**__**  
**__**To chase your demons away!**_

_**Ooh, for so long I've tried to shield you from the world…**__**  
**__**Ooh, you couldn't face the freedom on your own!**__**  
**__**And here I am left in silence…**_

_**You gave up the fight!**__**  
**__**You left me behind!**__**  
**__**All that's done's forgiven.**__**  
**__**You'll always be mine**__**,**__**  
**__**I know deep inside…**__**  
**__**All that's done's forgiven.**_

_**I've been so lost since you've gone!**__**  
**__**Why not me before you,**__**  
**__**Why did fate deceive me,**__**  
**__**Everything turned out so wrong…!**__**  
**__**Why did you leave me in silence…?**_

_**You gave up the fight!**__**  
**__**You left me behind!**__**  
**__**All that's done's forgiven.**__**  
**__**You'll always be mine**__** ,**__**  
**__**I know deep inside…**__**  
**__**All that's done's forgiven...**_

_**Forgiven, **_**Within Temptation. Represents well Tatl's state of mind…**

**Hi, people!**

**THANK YOU FOR ALL THE LOVE, I AM SPEECHLESS! =D**

**Replies to reviewers:**

**DreamsComeFromTheHeart: Why did you change penname? I loved Princess-Of-All-Saiyins! Ok, so I'm happy the first part of chapter 1 was ambiguous, I wanted it that way. The children are what make this story; they are the Twisted Legacy ;). And indeed, they all parallel with one of the parents, it was pretty much wanted, so I'm happy you've seen it. Mathias… Oh well, you'll see and understand later. *chuckle***

**S.D.G.: My Sexy Desert Gerudo, you! Thanks for the review, it made me happy. I won't answer anything about what you may write on here because… YOU KNOW THE DAMN PLOTLINE, LADY!**

**Monsterhunter100: Yup, all planned from start to finish. That's how I am. Rebellion… That's an interesting concept in this story; you should keep reading (and reviewing). Yes, Midna is nice, I know =3**

**HextheDaydreamer: Thank you I'm trying to make all the children different without falling into clichéd manga-esque characters. They are new to write, though, I'll have to adapt, so it is sure that they will evolve and change with the story. Oh well, they're already supposed to. And yes, Isca is such a good man… Who is becoming bitter with time, with the lack of positivity he receives for what he does.**

**Genesisluv98: Link ran off at the end of TD. Tatl married Isca, then she gave birth to the twins, which she was pregnant with before marrying Isca. Then, a few years later, she had Mathias with Isca. That's what happened. And yes, we all should feel bad for Isca, he doesn't deserve to be treated that way.**

**NRZWolf13: How's you? I'm happy people are feeling bad for Isca, that's what I'm looking for. And, let's be frank, Link has done everything he could to get stabbed, he deserved it, and he knows it wherever he might be… The children are awesome, they make the story. Mathias is interesting and will develop… *evil chuckle* Link… Link… Link… Where is he, anyway?**

**Kirkysaurus: Ahah! Thank you. I'm delivering as much as I can, as often as it's possible without becoming a zombie in front of the computer screen.**

**Darkwolflink1: Babe, just fucking log in so I can reply, for fuck's sake! Kar is awesome and handsome and I totally understand why you're going crazy over him: he's a nice, young, immature, noisy lad who seems straight out of an anime or a manga. Midna… It took me very long to figure out her personality (thank you, Game of Thrones!). She was the last character I designed. Yup, Mathias is Tatl and Isca's child. As I mentioned in the introduction, no, Zelda has no children, nor is she married, which leaves Hyrule with no heir. Did you really believe I'd give a full answer about that weird part with the ship at the beginning? Ah! No. Yes, you can run in water: in slow-motion and you get hit by waves, and washed up to the shore. True story. And yes, it's going to be EPICNESS! At least, that's what I am aiming at ;) Thanks for reviewing, talking to you soon enough and LOG IN TO REVIEW, DAMMIT!**

**I hate the new image-stuff for book cover they put up. And what I hate much more was that they put my profile pic as cover for my 23 fics. So I changed them all to some medieval book cover. But TD and this story. I spent a hour on paint and MS Word to make the covers. Hope you appreciate.**

**Ok, now into this chapter some stuff will be happening that can be named as "controversial". You'll see in due time, but as I mentioned in last chapter, this story isn't rated mature without reasons, and you'll start understanding why in here.**

**I'm awaiting your reviews, it'll make me happy. **

**Let's remember that the word "Twisted" is into the title… Hum-hum.**

**Read and enjoy,**

**Gamesplayers.**

* * *

II

The week-end had finally arrived. Isca didn't work most of the time on the week-ends. The Royal Guards were, probably, the first organization in Hyrule to work with schedules which permitted free time to their members. It had been Gregory's idea to implement such a planning. However, even though the knight commander was supposed to be freed of his functions for two days, he was dressing up slowly, readying himself to leave the mansion.

Behind, Tatl looked at his back absently as she toyed with a strand of her silky hair. Isca was facing a mirror, so even if she was behind him, she could very clearly see his stern, unshaved face. As always, she thought how handsome her husband was. How handsomely unreachable.

They rarely spent time together, now. Maybe that was the reason why they were both falling out of love. Or maybe it was just time which had done so to them.

After their marriage, Tatl had really fallen back in love with the tall, tanned and handsome man that had always been Isca. The first years of their union had been great and beautiful. They had been happy together. With the twins, the knight had been kind and fatherly, even with Kar. For the first years of the blonde child's life, Isca had been present and loving.

She remembered sunny days when her husband would play with the blonde child and his sister. But Kar was so young at that time that he couldn't remember these instants anymore. And maybe it was better this way; he couldn't hurt over the fact that he had been abandoned, but only feel the pain of never having his father's love.

The changes in Isca's behaviour towards Kar happened when Mathias was born. Tatl could still remember, in her mind, the very clear image of her husband's face as he had held his trueborn son into his arms, the blood of his blood. His very own legacy. He hadn't said anything, but the intensity in his eyes spoke for him. The Twili had assumed, however, that it wouldn't take away all of Isca's affection for her son. Maybe it would have happened that way if Kar hadn't started to develop a personality and facial features that would remind anyone of his real father…

Though Isca had said nothing about this matter, Tatl had witnessed the expression of her husband as he had looked down on Kar afterwards, and every single time he did stare at the boy, Tatl knew that it wasn't Kar that he saw…

From then on, their marriage had started to fall apart. She had said nothing about it, for she knew that Isca would not talk about it. Tatl had considered when her husband had stopped touching her that he might have had a mistress. But unless it was Gregory, she couldn't find anyone who the knight would sleep with for her couldn't get close to anyone in town. Isca was feared and wanted to be, after all.

And besides this, she knew how important faithfulness and marriage were for him.

However, Tatl knew that, after what she had done all these years ago, even if Isca did go elsewhere for company, she could not say anything. The guilt of this affair still clung to her throat, some nights, chocking her. She had no rights to criticize her husband.

As for herself, she had also been faithful all these years. In wasn't in her nature to seek other men, anyway. It had never been until she met Link. She had been weak for him, for his smile and his promises that he hadn't held, when she had had Isca all along.

Tatl had screwed up her marriage before it happened for the sake of a handsome, insecure and immature young man whose interest in her had been plainly sexual, she had come to believe. She had hated herself for falling for him. But she had never hated Link.

She couldn't. She still loved him. Like every other women who had met him, probably. The heat of his hands on her skin had remained through the time, the ghost of his lips on hers as well… Link was that kind of man: once you knew him, he was impossible to forget. He was the dangerous kind of man.

Lost in thoughts, she kept messing up a strand of her turquoise hair. Isca was now facing her, staring at her. He knew that expression of hers. He knew what she was thinking about and it lit a fire of hatred into his chest -his heart- each single time. However, he no longer had the strength to be angry. He had accepted his second place long ago. Tatl had taught him love and devotion. She had also taught him violence and bitterness.

He sighed softly, she didn't hear him. No one really heard him anyway. Isca could have scream, cried or sobbed, no one would have known, would have seen. He was used. Too used.

He went towards the door, intending to leave the room and the mansion for, hopefully, most of the day. His heart sank too low into his chest and his mind was too weak for such a long day with his family. They were too demanding, he was too tired.

Tatl sat up straight, looked at him as she came back to reality. Maybe she had heard his steps on the hard, dark wooden floor. Maybe she had remembered to get back to the world in which she had taken Isca's name and honour. "Where are you going, today?" Her voice was soft.

His hand was on the knob. He looked just enough above his shoulder to see the outlines of her body in the sunlight. He felt ripped apart to see her so beautiful in the pale day light. "Zelda. She asked me to go to her today." His voice was remarkably devoid of emotions. He congratulated himself in silence. Isca was made of silences.

Talt didn't answer. She nodded. "You'll come back for dinner? We have guests tonight…"

"I know." He had sent the invitations himself. "I'll be there. Make sure the children are presentable."

"Of course."

Tatl turned towards the window and the silence fell between them. Isca's grip tightened around the knob for a moment as he thought that if she had asked for him to stay with her, he would have. Gladly.

Bitter, he left the room, leaving a trail of unknown and unsaid thoughts behind him.

* * *

Isca didn't even bother to knock. He simply entered the chamber in which he knew that Zelda would be, waiting for him. When she received Isca, she didn't use the usual meeting room of the castle: she waited in a personal boudoir of hers, in which a rich, heavy sofa of dark cherry wood and red velvet was installed, facing the large window. Yet, she never sat on it.

She stood by the window instead, like she usually did, her back to her visitor. She seemed to always wear her hair in a tight, gold bun, high behind her head, now that she was a queen. It showed her pale, beautiful, and smooth feminine features and her big, yet slightly almond-shaped violet eyes well. That day, she was wearing a white and pale blue, simple gown that showed her shoulders.

When Zelda heard the door behind her open and close softly, she waited until she was sure that Isca was not far behind her. Then, she turned around. It was her little ceremony, which she always did, hoping to someday impress him.

Yet, she raised her eyes to meet Isca's, and they were as cold as always.

"I heard the criminality rate isn't going down in the city." She said, voice commanding. "Nor in the rest of our territory." It hurt and irritated her to see him so hardened and icy. It made her lose her temper, lose her discretion and suddenly, she wanted nothing but to provoke him.

"My Queen." He wasn't happy, her irritation had reached Isca. "I can scarcely make miracles happen when half of the rights I once held have disappeared in thin air with the new era that you've announced we've entered." The words were poisonous as he pronounced each sound with insistence.

"Hyrule is evolving." Her stare hardened. "We cannot adhere to an age of unexplainable brutality anymore."

"I'm not angry that we can't kill civilians uselessly." He barked. "I'm angry that all I can do is giving tickets that they won't even look at."

"I haven't ordered you to stop arresting the criminals, Isca."

"Indeed, but you've ordered that we cannot punish the civilians like we used to and must emit tickets as often as we could. Detentions and force mustn't be used unless it's the only possibility. That is what you ordered." His jaws tightened as he stared hard at her. "And, on all respect, my Queen, most criminals know and love your new laws. They can harm us, they can insult us, they can spit at us and all we can do is giving them a piece of paper."

"It is more civil than to beat up the people at the first provocation."

"And it surely is more civil for your guardsmen to be spat and hit at without means to defend themselves?"

Zelda's lips became a thin line of reddish-pink on her lower face as she glared at her knight-commander.

"Do your job, Zelda, and I'll do mine." He finally said, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

A violent fire started into her eyes. "I am doing my job Isca. And my job is to make this kingdom prosper and profitable to everyone!" She hissed.

"Under soft laws that allow the bastards of the slums to rise and burn the city? You're too soft, you know it."

"We've seen kingdoms rise like we, then fall because of brutality and barbarian actions. I will not see Hyrule destroyed by riots."

Isca chuckled bitterly. "There would be no riots, _your Grace_, if my men had the right to stop them."

Zelda's fists clenched beside her. "You think you know how to rule a kingdom such as Hyrule, Isca?"

"I think I do." He stared at her as she boiled before him. "And I wouldn't be as soft as you."

She glared darkly at him, unable to answer. Zelda could not believe what he had just said. Had he just really affirmed that he would be a better ruler? "I demand your pardon, Isca?" She was boiling with anger. "What have you dared to say?"

The knight stared at her, his own anger slowly subsiding into amusement. "You have heard well, your Majesty."

Zelda pointed the door. "Get out of here!"

Isca chuckled. "So be it." He turned around and left, smiling lightly.

The blonde stared at him, waited until he disappeared before she dared to move. Recently, her captain had become insolent, but never had he been this much. She had known the noble man for years, he had been a close friend and she had never seen this coming.

Into her royal boudoir, speechless, the Queen of Hyrule turned around to look out her window again and wondered what to do with the man who led her armies.

* * *

Midna was sitting in front of her vanity, staring at her reflection. Tonight was somewhat special. They had guests for dinner. She looked at her face, at her hair and body, wondered if she should let her hair down or do something fancy with it.

Then she thought about _him_, and remembered that he always liked more simple things. She decided that she'd let her hair down. It was more natural, simpler.

Now, what kind of dress? When they had guests, she would usually hide her body as much as possible so she wouldn't draw masculine attention. How she hated all these young women who had her age and who walked around showing their ankles and their cleavages to the first male who came by! It lacked dignity. It lacked elegance. It lacked everything a lady should be. No wonder these girls always ended up with children before the time came.

But she wanted to be seducing, to get his attention. She wanted to show him that she wasn't a little girl anymore, but a grown-up woman, mature and aware of her charms, a woman who controlled herself and her emotions. A dignified, elegant woman. She would not show her ankles.

Midna went through her wardrobe. And she thought that in the word "wardrobe" was hidden the word "war". And it was a constant war to hunt the perfect outfit for an important evening. She scurried through the velvet and silk folds of her dresses, unable to choose something right.

Until she brushed with the tip of her finger a silky skirt. She pulled on it, making it appear out of the field of dresses and she smiled. It was a long, purple dress made of silk with very few details made of darker lace. The cut of the dress was made to reveal the shoulders and neck without giving out too much. It was sophisticated and very ladylike. She had never worn it.

Midna put it on, tightened the dress around her waist with a black satin corset. It fell on her body with grace, showing just enough skin and a very small portion of her cleavage. Her curves were apparent, though well hidden. She wanted him to long for her, after all, and this was the right way to do it.

She hummed softly as she stood in front of her mirror. She smiled, and then took a more severe expression. She giggled, thought she looked stupid and stopped.

No, giggling was totally out of the question if she wanted to draw the attention of a man. And she hated giggling anyway, it made her look stupid. She frowned, tried to smile sexily. Her pale blue eyes glittered with her hopes.

Her bedroom door flew open, Midna jumped, bringing her hands up over her breasts in a defensive position. A tall, yet thin silhouette appeared. The door closed harshly behind the newcomer as he walked into the room, grinning. She relaxed as she saw Kar coming in.

"What do you want?" She asked her blonde brother.

"What? I need permission to come and see you, now?" Kar crossed his arms over his chest, glaring lightly at his sister, though the playfulness of his mind pierced through his fake anger.

She rolled her icy-blue eyes. "No. I'm sorry."

Kar nodded and Midna returned to her mirror again. She stared at her reflection as her brother came to stand behind her. She looked at his deep green eyes from their reflection, he gazed back at her.

"What do you think?" She asked him.

Kar's eyes slowly followed her body, seemingly inspecting her. "You look great, but stressed. You should smile."

She laughed softly, smiled to him through the mirror. "Is it so apparent?"

"That you're trying to seduce someone?"

She kept smiling, feeling somewhat embarrassed though she knew that he had no idea who she was really trying to seduce. She looked away, slightly. "What do you mean, dear brother?"

"Gregory is coming over with his son. I take it that you want to make a good impression to him."

She stared at him with intensity through the silvery glass. "Of course." She turned around, her hair flowing behind her as she neared her vanity and sat down to start the long and difficult process of putting make-up on, still smiling. Her plan was perfect, so far.

With the reflection of the mirror, she saw Kar shrug. He watched her for a moment before losing his smile. He sighed, then he sat down in a chair near the window. He looked outside, lost in thoughts.

Gregory and his son weren't the only guests, that night. A local lady was bringing her two daughters also. The twins weren't stupid; it was a futile attempt at marrying them, again. Midna opposed herself to forced marriage roughly, but her reasons were these of a woman: she rejected the idea of commitment without love.

For Kar, it was slightly different. The blonde rejected marriage so far not because he minded to be wed to some random female; he could always cheat on her, which was totally accepted and normal amongst noble couples. No, he didn't want to marry because he perfectly knew that the only goal of such a union was to send him away from the mansion.

And he had no intention to do that, to leave his mother and siblings alone.

Nevertheless, he was elegant for the evening. He had to and though he was not going to marry with any of the girls that would be presented to him, he could clearly take advantage of them. Midna knew her brother well enough to read his mind.

The boy wore knee-high brown boots, black and tight pants with a white button-up shirt and a ruby-colored tie. Over this, he wore a very deep emerald coat, with gold details and rims, which descended down to his knees, on the back, while the front was open from his lap and downwards to reveal his rather athletic thighs. His hair was messy as always, falling all round his face, complimenting his masculine jaws.

He was handsome and he knew it.

Midna observed his reflection; she felt irritated to know that he intended to hurt a girl's virtue, but she also felt that something wasn't right from the way he kept still in the sofa, staring out the window. "What are you thinking about?" She asked, somewhat knowing the answer.

The blonde scarcely moved his head as he was disturbed from his thoughts. "Nothing much." He said dismissively, without turning to look at her.

"Who are you trying to convince?"

The boy chuckled. He had to admit that she was right. Kar turned around in his chair, resting his arm on the backrest, and installed his chin on his hand. "Same thing as always." He said with a sad smile.

She sighed. She understood his plea.

"I've just been wondering, again… Why the hell doesn't he like me? I haven't done anything wrong… I have good grades at everything I'm forced to study, I'm skilled with a sword, I am an elegant, charismatic young man… Don't I make a good heir? A good son?" His voice, usually filled with such energy and wrath was now soft and sad. It broke her heart to see him like this.

Midna stared at him as Kar lowered his eyes. Her brother craved their father's affection, everyone knew it. Yet, Isca was as cold as a stone with him and no one knew why.

"He's just cold with everyone, Kar." Replied Midna, trying to protect her brother from harming himself with his own thoughts.

The blonde looked up, glared at the mirror, at his sister. "No. He's not cold with Mathias nor with you."

The light-brunette sighed softly as she held her brother's stare. "I know, but we aren't his heir." She turned around to look at him without interference. "He's doing for your good."

Kar snorted, then casted his gaze away before turning his back again to his sister. She felt his despair, his irritation, his lack of understanding. She understood everything about it.

"He wants to marry me so he'll get rid of me." He added.

She couldn't reply, couldn't protect their father. She had the same feeling concerning them both. So she lowered her eyes to her hands.

Kar slammed his fists on the sides of the chair.

"And why the Hell am I blonde!"

* * *

Isca sat at the same extremity of the large, dark wooden dining table as every evening, dominating his family and guests. To his right, Tatl sat, like she always did. Across from her was Gregory. Beside the lieutenant was Lord Michael and his wife faced him. Midna was beside her, Nicolas –Gregory's son- faced her, while Kar faced the eldest daughter of Lord Michael, and Mathias had to endure the loud-mouthed, younger girl in front of him.

The men were installed on the left side of the table, and the women to the right, from eldest to youngest on both sides.

Kar was well-installed on his chair, smiling charmingly to the girl facing him. She wasn't ugly: long, straight and thick brown hair with wide, hazelnut eyes. She giggled to almost everything Kar said and, frankly, wasn't exactly bright. The blonde didn't mind: she was not going to become his wife anyway, but perhaps a nightly adventure. And judging by her reactions to his words, she would be an easy one.

Mathias listened, with a shy smile, as the loud-mouthed, fourteen years old brunette in front of him talked endlessly. He pressed his lips together, wondering how so much air could be pumped out of someone's lungs as he stared at her unaligned teeth.

As for Midna, she sighed, bored out of her mind. Nicolas, though a handsome young man with thick, light brown hair, was unable to mumble something to her without shaking. He was blushing furiously as she did all she could to intimidate him.

She was dominating him by her simple presence, by her attitude and beauty. He wasn't worthy of her, she thought, if he couldn't handle the iciness of her stare. He had succeeded to whisper that she was beautiful, yet he hadn't been able to say anything else, hadn't been able to hold a conversation with the gorgeous young woman. So Midna had shown her boredom and had looked away, resting her chin into her hand, and her elbow on the table.

She studied the adults beside her. The five of them were chatting, drinking and enjoying the evening, leaving the children to talk to each other. Isca, Gregory and Lord Michael were, apparently, discussing some kind of business, the value of money and the fabrication of fake coins in the city.

Midna looked at Gregory, lost in thoughts. He had always been a close friend to her father and to the family. She had called him 'uncle' and could remember what he looked like when she was a child, when his hair was more gold than silver. She remembered all these times she had sat on his lap and he had told her stories, played with her, smiled and laugh with her.

He had been her crush when she was a child, when she was a teenager… And he still was. She was aware that he was more than twenty years older than her. She was aware that he was like family, like an uncle.

She remembered, when she was about nine years old, an evening he came over. She had played with him, under the soft gaze of Isca –he used to watch the three children play altogether, smiling- when she had suddenly hugged Gregory and whispered "I love you".

It had been taken as child play. The older man had laughed and shuffled her hair, saying that he liked her a lot too. Even Isca had thought this had been cute.

But the little girl had meant it. She had fallen in love with Gregory, and the young woman that she had become still felt that affection towards him.

However, the crush had changed over the years as she had matured. As her body had matured. She was craving for much more than a gentle hug, now, as she examined him, his features, his body. Nicolas might have looked like his father, but he wasn't Gregory. He was too young and immature for the half-Twili girl.

And the dinner went by. Midna listened to her brother making suggestive advances to the girls in front of him. She did not look at Nicolas more than needed.

* * *

Isca and Gregory were outside, in the gardens. The evening was fresh, though enjoyable. Isca had dragged his glass of wine with him and Gregory smoked his pipe as both men talked together, trying not to be too loud. Up above them, a large balcony was giving into a large living room in which all the children had been forced together.

"There's an acquaintance of mine that I'd like you to meet." Said Gregory, after a short while. He lit the tobacco in his pipe and took in a puff of the bitter substance.

"What for?"

The lieutenant looked around, suspiciously. "We… share the same view about some things, let's say."

Isca stared at his friend a moment, then nodded. "Who is that acquaintance of yours?"

"Her name is Kira."

"A woman?" Isca seemed perplexed. It was rare to find a woman interested in local politics in Hyrule…

Gregory nodded and laughed lowly. "Not your average woman, though." He tapped his pipe. "She'll be in town soon enough, I'll get you two in touch."

"That's fine with me."

There was a loud noise from inside the mansion that made both men turn around quickly.

"Kar!" Came the muffled scream of Tatl.

Isca sighed with irritation. "I'll be back…" He entered the mansion, leaving Gregory all alone outside.

He closed his eyes a moment, enjoying the smoke into his mouth, into his lungs, and the soft wind on his skin. He felt relaxed and calm for the first time in weeks.

Ever since he and Isca had started talking about their plan, things had become stressing for Gregory. He was a nervous man, though he always seemed calm, and any disturbance could affect him greatly. But that night, he decided that he would stop worrying and simply enjoy the weather, the atmosphere and the small party.

Even Isca was in a good mood, that evening.

He heard the door open softly and opened his eyes, thinking he'd see Isca coming back, but it wasn't him: it was Midna. Gregory smiled to her, remarked how gorgeous she was becoming with time. "Good evening, Midna. You are beautiful tonight." It was courtesy to inform a woman, whatever her age might be, that she was pretty.

She smiled back, her eyes were luminous. "Thank you… You are charming yourself, Gregory."

"Have you spent an agreeable moment with Nicolas?" Asked the silver-blonde man as smoke escaped his lips.

Midna cleared her throat. She leaned against the wall, beside the door. "He is a nice boy." Her hair fell over her shoulders.

He nodded, smiling still. "I know he is shy, but once he gets used to someone, he start talking more and becomes less stiff. You should give him a chance. He is a sweet boy."

She nodded lightly, looking away. Her heart beat madly into her chest. "Maybe…" She took a deep breath and swallowed. "Maybe I should, but there's someone else on my mind."

Gregory's brows furrowed. "You do?" He didn't think that they should force the children to marry together, but he wasn't necessarily pleased at the idea that the young woman would discard his son at the profit of a stranger. He hoped that the lad was worthy of her, alas.

Midna nodded. "He is…" She looked back at him. "Older than me."

The lieutenant nodded. It was normal for a young woman her age to prefer slightly older boys.

She bit her lower lip and looked down. "I have, in fact, known him for years."

The silvery-blonde man tried to remember whom she used to play with when she was a child. He couldn't recall any boy, though. "Your father knows him?"

Midna paused a moment, then she nodded. "Yes…"

He nodded. "That is good, then. Do I know him also?"

She laughed nervously. "I hope so." Midna looked back up at him. "I've been attracted to him since I was a child."

"He must have been a handsome lad, then."

"I don't know how he was when a lad… I only remember him as a man. He was grown man with hair like a lion's."

The blood from Gregory's face slowly faded away as he froze on place. He did not even blink as he understood what she was saying. So many times, when she was a child, she had said that he had hair like a lion's mane…

She saw his reaction, stared back at him, her eyes piercing him. She examined him, the way he reacted, the way he froze as he looked at her. Then she casted her steely eyes down and hair fell around her face, hiding her expression. "You've always been attractive to me… The only difference is that now, I'm looking at you like a woman looks at a man… I'm not a child anymore: I don't want you to consider me like one." She straightened herself, pushed her shoulders slightly back so her chest would be fuller. He scarcely breathed as he stared at her face, so shocked he found himself paralysed. And Midna stared at him, her blue eyes piercing as she waited for an answer, for something.

Yet, the door beside her clicked open and Isca appeared. The knight felt the heavy ambiance that had installed itself between his friend and his daughter. He looked at the girl as she casted her gaze to the paved ground. She was blushing lightly.

She turned towards Isca, fled his stare as she mumbled that she was going to her bedroom, that she was tired.

Isca looked up at Gregory. The man was paler than usual, his pipe on the ground beside him.

"What happened?"

Gregory looked up as if he had seen Isca for the first time. "Nothing."

Isca laughed softly. "Is that so? Then maybe you should tell your face, because you're making me believe that my daughter told you something horrible."

Gregory swallowed his saliva. "She… Did." He sighed. "She isn't interested in Nicolas."

Isca shrugged after a short moment of consideration. "It isn't hers to choose."

The blonde knight made a low noise in his throat that seemed like approval to Isca.

But in reality, Gregory was chocking.

* * *

Pale as a ghost and shaking madly, Midna retired herself to her bedroom and locked the door. She couldn't believe what she had just done, couldn't believe that she had found the guts to admit to Gregory what she had kept secrets over the years.

However, his reaction had scared her: he had frozen in surprise and apparently fear. Now, the last thing she wished for was that he'd tell Isca. She wouldn't be scolded: she'd get locked up in her room for ages and would end up joining the temple as a revered sister.

But Midna had been decent in her confession; she had used the right words and the right attitude. She hadn't gotten close to him, hadn't touched Gregory or tried to force herself into his arms. But his reaction had scared her off and now, she wouldn't be able to look at him anymore. She knew it.

And he certainly wouldn't come and get her, he couldn't even if he wanted: he was her father's best friend and second in-command! It would be irresponsible of him to come and collect a young woman –a girl- who was not even twenty years old to become his mistress, or even his wife…

Maybe she had freed her mind from that attraction, but Midna had now enslaved her heart into this incertitude and stress of not knowing what would happen… Everything was into Gregory's hands, now. At the best, he would carry this to the grave with him. At the worst, he would tell Isca.

Still completely dressed, she lied down on her bed, rolled on her side and stared out the window.

No, Gregory wouldn't answer her calls, she was certain.

But her hopes that he would were higher than the moon in the dark sky…

* * *

It was past midnight, the celebrations had reached an end and, technically, the children had to go to sleep. Mathias never acted against the idea of being alone in his bedroom, mostly at night: no one came to see why he was locked-up in there or for any other reason. He was alone by himself with his books, with his papers and his feather.

Mathias was a poet, a writer, an artist. He painted in his free time, he draw also. But what he craved for was to write. Would it be fiction or his personal journal, he needed it. He needed to put his thoughts and emotions down onto something so he wouldn't explode under the pressure he was going through.

He had, with time, developed tics about order, mainly. In his bedroom, his belongings were maniacally ordered and placed –installed- always at the same location. To bug him, sometimes Kar went in and put disorder into his younger brother's bedroom. It always angered the boy and made him deeply anxious until he had rebuilt his order.

But that night, he was calm as he sat on his bed and wrote into his journal under the relaxing light of a lantern. With a fine handwriting, he explained with words his brother wouldn't understand what had happened on that day, what he had felt and how Kar and Midna wouldn't abide by their father's decision.

He respected Isca, feared him so much that he would never be such a rebel himself. It was unthinkable for the young man to go against the knight's order, even once and-

He heard whispers outside his window. Mathias growled as he put his paper and feather down harshly. His bedroom gave right into the large gardens, right in the bushes where, sometimes, interesting scenes would take place. But he was in no mood to hear the servants flirt amongst or tell low tavern stories.

So he reached the window and peeked out.

Kar stood there, illuminated by the moon, along with the older of the two visiting girls. He could see the youngest one walking away. She had been hurried to bed, apparently.

The oldest girl, now in Kar's arms, giggled as the blonde boy whispered too lowly for Mathias to hear anything. The young man killed the lantern's flame and hid in the darkness of his bedroom while staring out the window.

The girl seemed to resist Kar, though she did with little efforts as she didn't pull away more than a few inches from him. He whispered things to her lowly. Mathias couldn't hear, but by the tone the blonde used, the younger man understood that the content was sexual.

The girl kept giggling; it irritated Mathias as he focused on his brother. He rested his hands on her derrière, then went upwards slowly. She quieted down, raising her own hands –shaking- to the blonde's shirt. She undid his tie as he kept talking to her. Mathias decided that he was reassuring her.

Soon, the blonde's athletic torso appeared to the moonlight and the girl's shoulders as well. Mathias stared, interested. Kar caressed her jaws, her lips. He chuckled, then pulled her dress further down, revealing her immature breasts. They weren't as round, big and heavy as Midna's or their mother's. They were small, pointy, yet they seemed to satisfy Kar as he started to massage them.

The girl sighed in delight, caressed the blonde's pectorals, and went downwards until she reached his pants. Mathias observed attentively as she started teasing his older brother. He groan softly, licked her ear. She moaned and pushed her hand into the blonde's pants, finally.

Mathias' breathing increased, his heart beat faster as he watched.

Kar put a hand on the girl's shoulder. She looked up, said something. He answered and pushed down on her. She kneeled before him, reluctantly, her head aligned with his crotch. Kar caressed her dark hair as she undid his pants clumsily. He stood there, smirking, his wavy golden locks hiding his eyes, as he looked down. Soon, he was exposed to the night, and he didn't seem to be shy at all.

Mathias stared.

The girl looked up, uncertain. Kar nodded. She lowered her head, opened her mouth and took him in. The blonde boy sighed heavily as he let his head fall backward, eyes closed. Mathias examined the smiled that played on his lips, the muscles of his neck as he grabbed a handful of the girl's hair.

Mathias watched how powerful Kar seemed to be over that uncertain, nameless girl as he held her head in place, forcing her to please him. Into the younger man's head, it was almost a rape. He found out he liked the idea of his brother breaking the virtue of that girl.

Kar started moving his hips, groaning lightly once in a while. Mathias' found his own erection without thinking much, and he stroked himself, as he stared at the scene. At his brother.

The blonde, after a moment, growled. He moved his hips quicker, harder. The girl's small breasts bounced with each thrust, her head, her mouth, her body was a mere accessory to Kar's enjoyment. He came shortly after, she moved away, surprised and the blonde's semen ended up onto her face and her breasts. She seemed horrified. Kar was smiling. He said something, she didn't answer.

She had stopped giggling, finally!

Mathias followed his brother shortly after, though it was a handkerchief that received his load, not some random whore.

The girl got up, wiped herself clean as she showed her back to Kar, who replaced his clothing. She turned around, barked something at him. Kar shrugged, staring at her, smiling still. Insulted, apparently, she stormed away while learning a harsh lesson about men and life.

Kar, seemingly unmoved by her reaction and ended up walking away, whistling. He never raised his eyes to his brother's window, but Mathias' gaze had been on him all along…

The images had been burned into the young man's eyes and mind forever. Slowly, he went to his bed, losing all interest into his journal. He sat down, ran his hands through his hair as he went through the scene again in his mind.

He was not going to sleep.

* * *

Tatl brushed her hair, humming softly, as Isca entered their bedroom. She seemed happy. It took an immense weight off his shoulders. He sat down on his side of the bed, she turned and smiled to him. They hadn't talked much during the evening.

"Midna refuses Nicolas, apparently." Said Isca.

"Did you think she would really agree this quickly?" Asked the Twili.

Isca stared at the wall a few seconds. "No, but the decision won't be hers anyway."

Tatl rolled her eyes. "And why couldn't she? No one forced me to marry you."

_Sure, but if you hadn't, you'd be down in the slums with your hooligan son and prostitute daughter._ He thought. "That was probably the only good decision you took." His voice was mocking, playful.

"A woman can live without a man, Isca." Tatl, however, seemed irritated by his comment.

"Show me one."

She stared at him. "The Gerudos."

"They are a bunch of barbaric women who keep mating so a man can be born and become their king. They live without men because they do not get any."

Tatl's stare hardened. "Then I could have lived without you."

He glared at her. "You could have?"

"Yes." She turned around, staring out the window at the dark night. "I would have managed it."

For a moment, they were both quiet. "Have you ever been happy for what I gave you, Tatl?" Isca asked, bluntly. She had hurt him; it showed in his voice.

The Twili stared at her husband, wide-eyed. "Why are you asking this? Of course I'm happy!" She stared at him, perceived his pain. It touched her; it made something quiver into her soul as she saw the emotion flashing through his usually cold eyes.

He looked away after a moment, now cold and tense.

Tatl let go of her brush, she turned around fully and stared at Isca's profile. She hadn't seen his reaction coming. For a moment, on that bed, he was the young, sensitive man that she had wed, with whom she had fallen in love twice. Slowly, she crawled up to him.

"Isca… I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm sorry."

He sighed softly. "Never mind."

She raised an uncertain hand. He didn't move. She caressed his jaws, felt the clenched muscles. "Forgive me, I've been a bad wife."

Isca sighed, closing his eyes a moment. "Never mind, Tatl." He whispered to her.

She shook her head, getting closer. He was giving in, she felt it. It was an occasion that he did not offer often. "No, I mean it, Isca. I should be by your side more often, take care of you."

"I'm a grown man."

"Yes, but my role as your wife is to support you."

He finally looked up at her. He seemed calm and relaxed. For the hundredth time since they had married, she remarked how dark his blue eyes were… So dark that you wouldn't see, at first, that they were blue and not black.

She lay down beside him, her head on his shoulder. Tatl looked up at him as he locked eyes with her. Softly, she caressed his chest. He sighed, closing his eyes, leaning into her touch. Tatl felt like she was taming a wild, dangerous animal –a dragon- each time she touched his body. It was like playing with fire; he could destroy her in the blink of an eye, could rip her apart with the mere strength of his hands. Yet, he lay there, on the bed, under her touch, under her tiny hands. Tatl felt powerful, as if she held the reins of a large, wild, untameable stallion.

He turned around, collected her in his arms and brought her close to him. He stared at her a moment, didn't say anything. She brought her fingers to his beard, to his full-lips. Softly, he kissed the tips of them. She smiled. He stared.

Tatl circled his neck, pulled herself closer and kissed him. He kissed her back.

"It's been a while…" She whispered.

He didn't answer. He seemed to wait. Isca was patient, too patient. Slowly, Tatl sat up. He followed her with his eyes. Staring at him, she started to undo her nightgown. It fell off her shoulders, held around her breasts. She pulled the cloth down, revealing herself to her husband.

Isca watched, waited.

She pulled her nightgown further down, as she stared right at him. Slowly, she got up, pushed her dress to her hips, then all the way down until it hit the ground. Naked, she challenged him with no words to come and collect her, make her his. To punish her.

His eyes inspected her, he seemed to think, seemed to consider if he wanted her or not. Like a cat would consider an easy prey.

Then, with the grace of a lion, he got up, walked up to her. He stood in front of Tatl, stared down at her, dominating her with his presence. She took a step closer, brought her hands up to his shirt, to his chest. Slowly, she started to undress him.

And he stared down, waited.

When she was down to his pants, Tatl lowered herself so she could get on her knees. He grabbed her wrist, she looked up.

"No." He whispered.

She seemed puzzled for a moment. Isca caressed her arm, then took her by the waist. He pushed her to the bed, softly. She let him lead, let him decide. He finished undressing, he did so slowly.

She watched, and waited.

He crawled up to her on the bed. He got on top of his wife, she wrapped her legs around his waist. His skin was hot against hers. Isca was always warm.

She kissed him.

He took her.

In silence, they made love.

* * *

Mathias lay on his bed. The sheets were on the ground, he couldn't endure their contact anymore. He was naked, something he rarely did. The night was not hot and his window stayed open, the wind blowing in. He had abused of his body over the last hours and yet, he was afraid that the fire in his groin would start again.

Eyes opened, he replayed in his mind the images over and over again of his brother and the girl. His mind seemed to focus, though, on that single scene in which Kar had let his head fall backward and had exposed the muscles of his neck and torso to the moon. Mathias had this moment burnt into his eyes, his head. The way he smiled, the way he grabbed the girl's hair and took her for an accessory, a toy.

Since puberty, he had spied many times at night on his parents. He had seen the strength of his father and the submission of his mother more than once. He had seen that combat, that dance many times. He had spotted total strangers in backstreets or opportunistic couples in places they shouldn't have committed such actions.

He had watched Midna, on a beautiful sunny afternoon as the sun illuminated her gorgeous, naked body while she caressed herself.

Mathias was a voyeur, he knew it. He felt no excitation towards the people he stared at. He felt excitation for what was forbidden, for the violation of these people's privacy.

But that night had been different, he felt it through every part of his body, of his mind. He hadn't felt arousal because it had been forbidden to watch his brother and that girl. He had felt arousal not for the situation… But for the actor…

It was twisted, he knew it well. However, he might have known how wrong the situation was, he understood nothing of it, of what he felt...

Yet, he had to admit to himself the unsettling truth: what had aroused him to the point of exhaustion was that damn image which was burnt into his brain forever, the image of his brother sullying a nameless girl.

* * *

**I know that has announced that they are going to delete every story that violates the guideline. Of course, I am worried about Twisted Destiny and Twisted Legacy, but I don't think I'm violating…**

**Anyway, if they get deleted, someday, I'll put them up somewhere else and provide the links in my profile and personally to my pm-ers. So don't worry, they won't disappear into thin air.**

**Speaking (writing) or this policy, it made my work quite hard for this chapter. It is so much easier, my friends, to write porn instead of literature. **

**That said, I hoped you enjoyed and I'll answer the question you'll all ask right away: no, Link wasn't in there and no, I won't tell where he is or when he'll appear in the story.**

**If he appears in the story.**

**Anyhow, hoped you liked and please review. I'll be waiting, as always.**

**Gamesplayers.**


	4. Chapter III

**Welcome to chapter 3!**

_**Please, please forgive me,**__**  
**__**But I won't be home again.**__**  
**__**Maybe someday you'll look up,**__**  
**__**And, barely conscious, you'll say to no one:**__**  
**__**"Isn't something missing?"**__**You won't cry for my absence, I know -**__**  
**__**You forgot me long ago.**__**  
**__**Am I that unimportant...?**__**  
**__**Am I so insignificant...?**__**  
**__**Isn't something missing?**__**  
**__**Isn't someone missing me?**__**Even though I'm the sacrifice,**__**  
**__**You won't try for me, not now.**__**  
**__**Though I'd die to know you love me,**__**  
**__**I'm all alone.**__**  
**__**Isn't someone missing me?**__**Please, please forgive me,**__**  
**__**But I won't be home again.**__**  
**__**I know what you do to yourself,**__**  
**__**I breathe deep and cry out,**__**  
**__**"Isn't something missing?**__**  
**__**Isn't someone missing me?"**__**And if I bleed, I'll bleed,**__**  
**__**Knowing you don't care.**__**  
**__**And if I sleep just to dream of you**__**  
**__**I'll wake without you there,**__**  
**__**Isn't something missing?**__**  
**__**Isn't something...**_

_**Missing**_**, Evanescence. I dedicate it to my supposed to be friends. And to Isca, for he kinda feels that way too.**_**  
**_

**This chapter was SO. FUCKIN'. LONG. TO. WRITE.**

**But I started playing Skyrim, and that slowed me down in my writing. **

**For those who particularly like Midna, I've inspired myself out of Daenerys in **_**A Song of Fire and Ice **_**series (**_**Game of Thrones**_**, for the DVD-ers). Right now, that's a great source of inspiration to me. The books are incredible and reading about George R.R. Martin finally convinced me to start working on original stuff that will always be mine, and sign up with a magazine for short stories issue. Nothing is done yet, I'm starting the long, painful phase of researches soon enough. But I'll be writing and publishing in my own universe soon enough, folks! Hope you'll read!**

**Besides this, I shall remind you all that if my work disappears on here because of guideline violation, I'll provide a new link through my profile and send it also to my pm-ers. So no worry.**

**Replies to reviewers****:**

**Monsterhunter100: I'm writing faster than I did with TD. I'm on a strike, so no school, I work part-time and have much free time, which I didn't have with the first one. However, I'm taking a lot more time to write and correct than I used to, but it turns out that my writing skills have evolved and, I hope, became better. Well, I have the feeling that I'm better, you're free to judge otherwise. The children are meant to look like their parents, to be an extension to them. I won't reveal anything more about Mathias, you'll learn with time and reading. Gorons should wear clothes. Always. I've also heard that twin sisters and brothers are perfect sexual matches. Maybe that's why Cersei and Jaime are doing nasty stuff in Game of Thrones… Yes, it's much easier to write plotless porn than a well developed, erotic scene that has meaning.**

**Darkwolflink1: Thank you for reviewing, young woman. And yes, I'm happy when you log in! I can reply, that way.**

**HextheDaydreamer: Yes, I laughed out loud when reading your review. Indeed… Puberty is a pretty critic period in which, if you have to become a psychopath, you'll start becoming one. Oh well. Let's see what deviance he's developing… ;)**

**NRZWolf13: Mathias is a weirdo, I guess you're right. Kar is, sadly, his father's spitting image (when he was young, alas). Midna and Gregory… I think I like them. A lot. And yes, I'll bring in some Link in a few. Let's just be patient. ;)**

**Kirkysaurus: On , they've add the image manager stuff in which you can upload pictures and use them as book covers for your stories. I did mine, for TD and TL, instead of uploading fanarts like everyone else. Heh, losers. I love Midna too, very sincerely, I think she's like, one of the best feminine character of this serie. Well, other females –and awesome ones- are going to appear later. I'm satisfied with the ladies in this story ;) And yeah, Mathias is a pervert. I know, right? The quiet ones are the WORST. I'm quiet. Sometimes. Ahah! You're not the first reader to ask for my babies and I'd gladly give all of you my semen so you can get lil' Kars and Midnas (depending on your DNA, that is. Mine is pretty much alike Link's…). I just lack some equipment… Thank you dear, and I hope too that nothing will be deleted, and I do think that I haven't raped any guideline so far.**

**Princess-of-all-saiyins: Yup. Imma keep calling you that. I loved it, I believe. I did think about making Kar bang his sister. It would have been epic, even more of she had gotten pregnant. It would have gotten some kinka monster with five eyes and two heads. Oh well. But I believed that Midna being attracted to a man more than twice her age could have made some people uncomfortable, or Mathias masturbating over his brother as he's being pretty asshole-ish with some random girl. My opinion. Gregory… Gregory… Gregory… Another male I love in this serie. Poor thing, as you said. Let's just see how he'll behave from now on. Lydia laughed too at the "Why the Hell am I blonde?" part. Kar's just like that: somewhat of a drama queen and he makes drama out of pretty much anything. Well, for Mathias… you'll see soon enough. In TL, I must admit, that I LOVE to write Isca. I just love him so damn much, now that he hates everything and everyone. Aw, poor creature. Poor handsome creature. Tatl… I'm somehow glad the person who invented her isn't reading this story so far, because I'm being mean with her. Yeah, if she would have loved Isca, maybe what is going to happen wouldn't happen… As for Link… Be patient. Now, thanks for your long review, I LOVE long reviews! =D**

**Genesisluv98: Thank you I'm glad of your feelings towards Midna's confession, for they are exactly what I was looking for. It tells me I made a good job ^^. However, it kinda pisses me off that it shows that I'm being held back by the guidelines. It means my job wasn't done well enough in that part. And yes, would there be no guidelines to over-respect, Mathias' last scene would have been way more… interesting. It was meant to be pretty explicit, at first. Thank you for saying this is full of greatness, it makes my heart smile and giggle.**

**I don't know if you care, but in Canada (in the South, because no one lives in the North but Inuit and a few scientists), our winter goes down to minus forty Celsius degrees, and in summer, it can go over forty Celsius degrees. So right now, IT'S FUCKIN' TOO HOT. Just sayin'.**

**My cat's pretty useless: he just lies down on the ground in inappropriate places, behind us, then we walk on him and he gets angry. He's a stubborn bitch, sometimes.**

**This said… The story begins in this chapter, my friends. ;)**

**Read and enjoy.**

**Gamesplayers**

* * *

III

Almost the totality of Isca's men had been deployed around the slums. Theywere hunting a man who had just attempted a robbery that had turned badly. He had, in the end, sacked the shop and killed the poor man. The merchant had been working alone that day because his wife had stayed home to take care of her sick children. The family had been lucky, in some way.

Isca had seen the crime scene. It wasn't his first case of murder, and it wasn't the first time he was looking at a savagely slain man. But, knowing that he had a family who'd be left alone from then on hit a sensitive chord in him.

The asshole who had killed him for a few rupees would be punished, and severely.

Soon after the event, the murderer had been seen going to the slums. He had blood all over him. He was a small man of bad health and who moved with difficulty, and he was known throughout the city as a lowly thief.

However, the guards had a hard time finding him. Apparently, he knew the slums better than any of them. It had taken a few hours until two recruits –who belonged directly to Gregory's division- found the man by accident. Isca was nearby with his lieutenant, they heard the boys inform the suspect of his rights, heard as the murderer started to fight back and hit their armor.

Isca, a fire of hatred in his eyes, had growled something before heading towards the scene. Gregory had followed behind, unsure if it was wise to leave his captain alone when the man was angry. Every man of the guards was imposing, and in armor they were impressive. But Isca was almost a head taller than most and way larger.

But it didn't stop the murderer from fighting back. Without any kind of protection, the blood-stained man was resisting his arrest. He kicked the recruits as they tried to seize him. He spat at them, tried to bite the guards as if he was a mad dog.

He succeeded to push the smaller guard away from him, then turned to the other one who was leaning over him, trying to handcuff the criminal. Vulnerable because of his position, the guard never saw the blow coming as the murderer hit his helmet with all the strength of his own head.

The young guard backed away, dizzy, as blood started to trail down his face. The criminal laughed, his own head now bleeding from the shock. Dizzy too, he still managed to get up while the other man who he had pushed away grabbed him. The criminal jerked, though handcuffed, out of his grip, but the guard finally seized him.

And Isca arrived with Gregory.

The murderer chuckled. Because of his stature, everyone in Castle Town knew who Isca was. He was easily distinguishable.

"Oh captain." Said the murderer with a harsh voice. "It's only a shame it ain't your wife who's become a widow. How sweet that would be to rape her after!"

Usually, Isca was a calm, cold man who would keep his temper. It wasn't the first time such a low, disgusting animal would insult him or his family, and it never reached him more than necessary. However, that day, he wasn't in a mood for this. Plus, he knew that bandit well for arresting him a few times already, but it had been for minor crimes.

"Shut the fuck up, bastard." Hissed Isca.

Gregory looked up at his captain. It wasn't like him to use such words, and it wasn't like him to answer to a man they were about to convict for murder.

The criminal chuckled, Isca grew closer. The man spat at his feet a disgusting mix of saliva and blood. "And that daughter of yours has such an ass… She must sing high when you fuck her from behind."

Isca growled dangerously as he reached the criminal. And in the blink of an eye, the recruit let go of the man he was arresting as Isca's right hand circled the bastard's throat. He lifted him off the ground, and slammed him against the wall with a single, gloved hand.

The criminal chocked, his face becoming red, his eyes popping out. He coughed and his whole body jerked and twitched. Yet, Isca kept him up there, high against the bricked wall, and he tightened his grip. The Knight Commander saw red and he heard nothing. He seemed to act in slow-motion as all he could stare at was that ugly, debating man he was slowly choking to death.

Then, something strong grabbed his shoulder and pushed him away roughly. Isca's back hit the opposite wall with violence, his armor taking much of the blow.

And then, reality came back. Isca blinked. The murderer was on the ground, breathing with difficulty, spitting blood. The two recruits were finally proceeding to his arrest and the man had stopped protesting.

Before Isca, Gregory stood and stared up at his friend and boss, wide-eyed. Both of his hands were firmly pressed against his shoulders so he'd stay against the wall. The silver-blonde man waited until the boys were away with the criminal before he released the knight.

"What happened?" He asked, his voice showing his disbelief.

Isca looked down at his second in command, calm and composed. "I don't know."

"You've almost killed him, Isca! Zelda won't let this get by!"

The knight knew it well. "I know." He looked away, now feeling exhausted. "He insulted Midna. It threw me off the edge."

Gregory sighed. He knew this man's affection for his daughter well. "Now come. We're going back to the casern."

Isca nodded and followed his lieutenant, wondering –yet knowing already- what sentence he would be facing.

* * *

Zelda, surrounded by her personal militia and adviser, stared at Isca. She was sitting at a large wooden desk, a parchment right before her. She looked up at her captain, in front of her. Isca stood in silence, hands joined before his crotch as he waited, patiently, for his punishment. He was looking out the window behind the queen, his face bearing no emotions.

The blonde woman sighed softly. "What happened to you?" Her voice was soft.

He looked down at her. Though he had put up a mask to cover his feelings, she could see that he was ashamed of what he had done. "I committed a mistake." He said flatly. "I'm waiting for my punishment, now."

Zelda considered him a moment. It was so much like him to act the way he had… She sighed softly and shook her head lightly. She rolled the parchment without writing anything on it and leaned back into her chair. "I'm not going to punish you, Isca."

He stared down at her, visibly not understanding. He had, after all, nearly killed a man.

"I'm going to reward you, instead, for all these years spent as the captain of my guard."

His eyes grew slightly wider. He knew what was coming. "No, please-"

"Yes, Isca. I'm giving you unlimited vacation until I find it that you are able to take back your job."

She couldn't have stroked him harder. "No, please, Zelda. Anything but that!"

The militia men behind the queen moved lightly as they saw the rather large man losing his temper again. Zelda raised a single hand, and they calmed down. "Yes, this will do you the greatest good, Isca, and you'll have plenty of time to spend with your children and your wife." Her severe violet eyes pierced through him. "I'm sure they miss you."

He stared at her, bewildered. "I'd prefer a punishment over that."

"You'd prefer a permanent stain on your professional records than free time with the people you love?"

His jaws tightened. "No… Your Grace." He breathed between clenched teeth.

"Come back to me in a month, we'll see then if you've gained your temper back." She glared at him, he glared back more fiercely. "You may take your leave. And say hi to your family for me."

Isca turned around, not bowing, not saying anything, and left the castle.

He would not wait a month.

* * *

Tatl was sitting by a large balcony on the second floor of the mansion with Midna. Mother and daughter were enjoying tea and chatting together. The two women didn't spend that much time together, for Midna and Tatl hadn't much in common, when it came to ideas. Midna was young, inexperienced and wild, while her mother had been through enough into her life, so far, to have a different outlook.

She looked down at her daughter and remembered how fiery she had been, once, before she had been broken. She missed that energy, sometimes, but was happy and glad to see her daughter had inherited it. However, she had also inherited the fire of her father, just like Kar, and it bothered Tatl for she knew that it would drive them into bad situations.

A quick temper and impulsivity made both twins act and decide upon things without considering them much. It was a gift that Link had given them, for it was exactly what had saved him many times in situation in which he had run and dodged while others would have flinched and frozen. But it also was what had gotten her pregnant and then abandoned. Tatl hoped that they would use that double-edge gift with precaution, though she doubted it.

The noble girl installed her hands on the large, white, marble fence of the balcony, and rested her chin on them. She was lost in thoughts and tired. Midna hadn't slept that much during the last nights.

Tatl took a sip of her tea, her magenta eyes studying her daughter's profile. She had her father's nose: pointy and long. "What's on your mind, my love?" Asked the Twili, voice soft and motherly.

Midna groaned lightly. "Nothing. I'm tired, that's all."

Tatl knew her child better. "You've been tired ever since we had guests. Has something happened then?"

The brunette was quiet a moment. No emotion ran onto her features as she considered what to answer. "Not especially."

"Has Nicolas stirred your interest, by any chance?" Tatl smiled lightly.

"He's immature and can't keep up a conversation. He doesn't interest me."

"You're harsh; he's but a young man with no experience with the ladies. It comes with time and practice, dearest. You should give him a chance."

"Not interested."

Tatl sighed. She knew that her daughter would fight fiercely against it, but the decision had been taken already: she would marry Nicolas when the time would come. "Maybe you should try to be."

Midna looked at her mom, her eyes icy. The Twili knew that stare, these eyes, and the cutting, pale steel of it. "I take it Father has taken a decision?" Her voice was just as frozen as her stare.

"You should ask him yourself." Said Tatl. She would not betray her husband. She took a sip of tea.

Midna snorted and turned her eyes away, her attitude disdainful.

The door behind them opened softly. Tatl turned around, assuming it would be one of the Sheikahs or Mathias. It wouldn't be Kar, the boy was way too rough. Yet, the man who appeared was neither of those she thought it would be: it was Isca.

"Is something wrong, shouldn't you be at work?" She asked, worried already.

The knight smiled softly. He looked exhausted. "I should be."

Midna turned around, stared up at her father, already forgiving him for possibly arranging her wedding. "Are you alright?" She was worried just to see him home so early, and even more to see him look tired. "Something happened?"

Isca smiled to her. He had always loved Midna. He had always regretted that she hadn't been his real daughter... "I'm fine, Midna. Can you leave me alone with your mother, please?"

The girl got up, nodding. She walked past her father and smiled softly to him before entering the mansion.

Tatl looked up at her husband as he came to sit where Midna had been a moment before. He sighed heavily and looked at his wife. "What happened?" She asked. If Isca was at home this early, something had clearly gone wrong at work.

He seemed to consider what he was going to say. He looked away, in the distance. "I…" The words were somehow caught up in his throat. "Committed a mistake, this morning."

"It must be a pretty intense mistake for you to be here, now." She took another sip of her tea. It was growing cold. "What happened exactly?"

He was quiet a moment. "I harmed a man we were trying to arrest for murder."

"Zelda has sent you back to the mansion for harming a murderer? It's not like her."

Isca chuckled bitterly. "I harmed him… A lot." He looked at Tatl. "He had killed a father of a small family and when Greg's men found him, he resisted his arrest and even injured one." He sighed, looked away. "Then, he insulted you. And Midna. And I… Attacked him."

She stared at her husband. It wasn't like him to just bluntly attack a man. It must have been pretty harsh insults, she thought. "With your sword?"

He shook his head. "With my bare hands…"

"Oh…" Somehow, Tatl was convinced that Isca was more dangerous naked than with a mighty sword.

"I strangled him."

Tatl shivered. It brought up souvenirs of when he had attacked Link, in the Fire Temple. She remembered the scene as if it was yesterday… There was blood everywhere… Link had twitched between the knight's hands, trying to push him away as he had choked in his own blood… "Has he survived?"

Isca nodded. "Then Zelda decided to force me into vacations. So here I am." He smiled bitterly to Tatl. "You'll be stuck with me for, at least, a month."

The turquoise-haired woman sighed softly, smiling up at him. "What a shame…" She reached for his hand. "You'll be able to spend time with the children, that will do them good. Especially Kar."

His stare hardened slightly. He did not answer.

"Isca. He wants you to be by his side, you know that." Her eyes pierced through his. "He loves you and craves your affection."

"I know." Was his cold answer. It was not that he hated Kar, but he just couldn't bring himself to look at him and see the child and not the father.

Tatl sighed in irritation and drew back her hand. She casted her gaze far away into the sky. Nothing hurt and irritated her like Isca's attitude with her son. The boy knew nothing of what had happened; all he knew was that he wanted his father to be proud of him.

After a moment, Isca got up. Silent, he walked away and entered the mansion, leaving her alone on the balcony.

Sometimes, she hated him.

* * *

Midna walked away quickly when she saw that her father was coming. She rushed away, hid in the corridor, and peeked through a glass door. Isca stood before the door to the balcony, his back to it. The light coming from outside hugged his back and lined the contours of his silhouette, but his face was hidden in the darkness and between bangs of wild hair. She couldn't see his expression, but she knew just by looking at him, that he was desperate.

She thought that, if she were her mother, she'd run at him, hug him and take care of him, even if her father would push her back. She thought that she would be there for him. It angered Midna that everyone just assumed that her father was brutal and cold. He wasn't. She knew no one as warm as Isca.

Midna moved away from the door, entered the room in which her father stood, in silence. "Dad?" Of the three children, she was the only one who dared to call him like that. The boys would call him "Father".

Isca seemed to jump lightly. He looked up at her, then the corners of his mouth went slightly up. He always became softer when he was alone with Midna. "Yes?"

She smiled back and stood by the door. "Can I do something to make you happy?"

Isca blinked. She had gone right through his thick emotional armor as something deep into him was moved. He smiled more and shook his head. "No, dear. But I highly appreciate the thought."

The pale young woman nodded. "Let me know if you need anything."

He chuckled softly. It sounded almost weird. "I will."

The girl turned around to leave. She took a few steps forward, until Isca couldn't see much of her anymore… Then she turned around again and walked quickly, with determination to her very large father and, surprising him to the core, she wrapped her arms around his torso and pressed her face into his chest.

"I'm glad you're home. I love you." She whispered.

Isca froze. He couldn't move, couldn't say anything. His throat was clenched and dry, so he waited, not knowing what to do or what to say… And Midna finally got away from him. Smiling to her father still, she finally walked away for good.

Isca watched her leave. He smiled, proud and happy. No one really cared about him, nowadays, but that sweet child. It touched him, touched the cold giant that he was. He had always had somewhat of a special bond with Midna, for she was a girl, and a daddy's girl with that, but he had believed that this bond had withered with the time.

And yet, he was mistaking.

Midna was still his little girl.

* * *

Kar was in the training yard behind the mansion, behind the kitchens and the servants' home. He had been training for hours with wooden dummies and his favorite long sword. The sun was bright that day, and though there was a cool wind blowing by, it was hot enough for the young man to be topless and sweaty as he fought hoards of imaginary creatures.

He loved to train, for it calmed him down greatly and permitted him to focus, he who had some troubles concentrating. But when he was giving himself fully into a hard and long training, he knew that his mind would be sharp for a little while.

And it appeased him, truth said, to stop thinking for a few hours. In his head, there were constant questioning about everything he saw and he heard. Kar was constantly, impulsively and maniacally going through the same questions, the same reasoning: what was so damn different about him?

He didn't look like his mother, father or his siblings much. The adults tended to gaze at him with somewhat of an absent stare, and it happened often. And people would stop talking instantly when he entered a room.

Maybe that was why he had started to slam the doors open: he hoped to surprise a conversation, if he acted quickly and forced himself into the room. It hadn't worked, so far.

So he was training under the sun. His skin took a beige hint during the summer, when he trained for many hours outside. But he never became much more than dark white, for Hyrule was a rather cool kingdom in which every seasons went by softly and without major changes in temperature.

However, Mathias and their father could turn so dark in the summer it was almost funny. Their skin would become as dark as a Gerudo's. Isca didn't mind much, but Mathias usually tried not to become too tanned. He liked the brownish, golden hint of his natural skin. As for Midna and Tatl… They burnt in the sun, their skins being way too pale.

It made Kar smirk to think of the rest of his family turning either black or bright red.

Behind, Mathias was watching him. The boy had been there for a little while now, sitting in the shadows on a wooden crate. He seemed lost in thought as he stared at Kar, or rather through him.

The blonde boy turned around, catching his breath. Mathias' eyes snapped up at his.

"You wanna train?" Asked Kar, chest raising and falling quickly.

Mathias considered him a moment, then he nodded and sighed. "Even if we know the outcome already." Muttered the younger man. He got up and went to the nearby weapon rack, wondered if he would take one long sword or the two-handed sword.

Kar waited patiently as he stared at his younger brother's back. The boy was already so tall and imposing… And yet so soft and clumsy, as if his body was too much for him. He had their father's inverted-triangle shape with heavy shoulders and slender waist. However, he was perhaps even more handsome than Isca, for his face was softer, his features taking a lot after Tatl.

And Kar found himself being jealous of his physics, often. Kar was handsome too, but he never seemed to be able to build up much muscles: he was tall and slender, his muscles well cut and he was quick, but he wouldn't become bigger. He had the body or a runner, a dancer, an acrobat. Not a warrior.

And Mathias had a warrior's body and he would have preferred to be a runner, a dancer or an acrobat.

Mathias chose the two-handed sword.

Kar nodded. Though Mathias wasn't good with any weapon, he was better with a bigger sword. He could put his strength behind his attack and, therefore, become almost a strong opponent.

He walked up to Kar, and the blonde boy saw the same hesitation in his eyes as always, that fear to be hurt or to hurt. Mathias was soft, too soft.

So Kar attacked first and the younger man blocked. He had good reflexes and had a good defense. What he lacked, was offense.

On the opposite again, Kar was quick to attack. He used slashing blows most of the time, though he used piercing strikes to surprise his opponent once in a while. Mathias was slow, but strong. Had he been confidant enough to really attack Kar –or anyone else- he could have killed with a single blow.

He had much of their father. He was only afraid to use these abilities.

Kar slashed at his brother, Mathias blocked efficiently, keeping his ground. So the blonde finally surprised his sibling with a piercing blow.

And Mathias was surprised. He didn't block and Kar didn't react quickly enough to stop his movement. So the steel of the long sword slashed at the boy's pectoral.

Mathias hissed softly and took a step back. Kar let go of his sword as he saw the blood starting to trail down the younger boy's shirt. "Damn! Are you alright?" He asked, somewhat panicked.

The brunet looked down at his chest. He brought his left hand up and touched the cut: it sting. Yet, it triggered something in him, like an adrenaline rush he had never felt. He felt suddenly aroused, and looking down at Kar didn't help him more. "I'm… Fine." He answered, his voice taking a darker, yet subtle, tone.

"Let's stop and get you healed."

Mathias shook his head. He put his sword down a moment to take off his shirt. The sweat fell into his injury and it hurt. He liked it. "No. It doesn't hurt that much and it's not deadly."

Kar seemed troubled. He looked up at his brother. Something in his voice wasn't right, but he didn't make light out of it. Sometimes, the boy was plain weird. "You sure?"

Mathias grabbed his sword and nodded to Kar's long blade on the sandy ground. "Pick it up."

The older boy obeyed.

And Mathias, for the first time, attacked him. Kar had enough time to see him coming, so he blocked successfully. But his brother had put enough strength to send him backward and the blonde had lost some ground with the younger's first blow.

Something flashed through Kar's eyes as he stared at Mathias. The blonde suddenly seemed not as full with assurance as before. It was slight fear that he saw in these green eyes, and it aroused the brunet even more.

Kar attacked back, Mathias blocked him. Blade against blade, both boys pushed against each other, but it was the youngest that pushed more. Kar lost more ground and he was suddenly, closing in to the walls of the mansion.

"What's gotten into you, suddenly?" Asked Kar, trying to sound confident. Yet, Mathias heard the insecurity in his voice.

He didn't answer. He was reaching his goal… Kar attacked him, Mathias sidestepped. The blood on his chest was beginning to dry. He swung the flat of his large sword at Kar, hitting his abdomen violently. The blonde breathed out loudly as he was sent backward. His back hit the wall. And the next moment, Mathias was over him, pushing a knee between Kar's.

The brunet laughed lowly in his throat as their chest collided. The sweat on Kar's chest stung in his wound. "Got you." He whispered, disarming his brother.

Kar's eyes were wide. Breathing heavily, he pushed his head as far as he could from his brother. "Y-yeah, Mathias. You won, get off."

_How does it feel? Do you like it?_ Mathias wanted to ask… He wanted to do so much more, in fact. Instead, he chuckled softly and finally drawn back. Kar had his blood on his chest, now. "I'm sorry." Mathias muttered, suddenly feeling very ashamed. "I'll go get bandaged…"

Kar nodded, staring at his younger brother.

Mathias placed his sword back on the weapon rack and picked up his shirt. Then he disappeared into the mansion, leaving Kar alone in the training yard.

The young man stared at his brother's back until he couldn't see him anymore. Damn, that child was weird, sometimes!

* * *

A few days of forced vacation had gone by and, frankly, Isca was starting to like his freedom. He was at the usual tavern with Gregory and both men had spent an agreeable evening. Wine, ale and hydromel were flowing in the tavern, and so were the party and the bards' songs.

It eased Gregory's mind to see such a relaxed Isca. He reminded him of the youngster the captain had been, the smiling, handsome young man who seemed to be filled with joy and innocence and pride and hopes… That young Isca with wide eyes and hunger to know the world and its mysteries.

Then, Ganondorf had risen, Castle Town had been destroyed and Isca had been sent on that very important mission to save the kingdom and possibly the world. He was supposed to help the Hero of Time. He was supposed to come back covered in glory, gold and reputation. This mission _should_ have brought Isca on the top of everything, showing the world that he was probably the greatest warrior that it had ever bore.

And Gregory had let him leave, with a firm slap to his back and a smile on his lips, persuaded that his captain would come back as a man –no more a _young man_-, and a great one.

Months later, when he had returned to Castle Town and found his friend again, Isca had become a man. But not a great warrior. Not covered in glory, rupees and reputation. Isca had come back as a shell of himself, darkened and grey.

He married, his wife prominently pregnant.

And Gregory had known that his sworn brother was not the same man anymore.

It had been hard at first for his captain and he grew distant with each other. Gregory had concentrated with the education of his son and his work. Then, during his wife's second pregnancy, she had suddenly become very ill. She had lost the baby, and died three days later.

And he too had become a grey man who did not smile anymore.

Now grey and bitter, the two men had found each other again, and their friendship had only become stronger.

Though the memories kept playing onto the lieutenant's mind at all times, he was able to forget and, that night, enjoy the evening with an old friend.

It was starting to grow late. On a corner of the room, one of Isca's men appeared and waved at his captain. In a good mood, Isca got up, excused himself to Gregory and went to talk with his underling. The lieutenant smiled softly: his friend rarely talked to anyone on his own will, nowadays.

And then he looked down at his mug and thought that he shouldn't have more than that. The liquid which had the color of honey buzzed lightly, a few fine bubbles exploded, and someone sat back in front of Gregory.

The lieutenant raised his slightly clouded gaze to meet the newcomer. And he stared, surprised, for a second. He smiled widely. "Kira!"

She smiled to him as well. "I didn't remember you as a drunkard." She teased him with a thick accent that betrayed that she was not from Hyrule. She sat cross-legged with her hands on the table, joined together, a sly smile playing on her rosy lips.

"I rarely drink that much." Answered Gregory, still smiling.

"I know." She had piercing, pale grey eyes and days on the ocean had tanned her skin, which fitted with her auburn hair. She wore her hair short and asymmetric; her right side being longer than the left and it was shorter behind her head, the hair reaching the top of her neck.

They stared at each other a moment before, finally, laughing. "I'm so glad to see you!" Finally said Gregory. "How's your father doing?"

"The same as always, just with more grey hair." Her father was a good friend of Gregory.

Gregory nodded, remarking that she was wearing a light, white shirt with a very tight corset of dark brown, withered leather that showed her slender body and athletic shape. It was a pirate corset that flattened the breasts, usually. But on Kira, it didn't flatten anything much.

Gregory chuckled, maybe because of the alcohol. "I am happy to know. You shall give him my regards when you return home."

She nodded. "So, why did you ask me here in Hyrule?" She tilted her head to the side.

With his chin, he pointed towards Isca. "We shall have a little talk with my captain over there."

Kira turned her head and rested her eyes on Isca's profile. And she blinked. He was probably the most handsome man she had ever looked at. "I see."

"I think you'll like him."

She already did, she knew that well.

After a while, the man with whom Isca was talking left, and the imposing captain came back. He stopped when he saw that his seat had been taken by a younger woman who was wearing tight leather pants and boots. His eyes found Gregory's and the lieutenant nodded to him, silently confirming that it was alright for her to be there.

"A friend's daughter, and a very skilled sea woman, Kira." Announced the blonde man. "She is the one I wanted you to meet."

She got up and offered her hand to Isca, smiling. Her pale eyes pierced him in a troubling way. Yet, he took her hand and kissed it, like it was custom. "I'm pleased to meet you." He said, his baritone, chocolate voice echoing neatly into the woman's head.

She grinned and laughed seductively. "Oh, but the pleasure is mine…" She said, her voice rolling with her velvety accent.

* * *

Gregory and Isca walked back home together. They didn't talk much, there was no need. With Kira, they had agreed to meet two days later and hold their first meeting of importance.

Kira. She had troubled Isca that evening. She was visibly trying to seduce him, even though he was wearing his wedding band. Usually, he turned down women almost instantly, for marriage held something sacred to him. But not her. He didn't knew why, but she was captivating. Maybe it was the accent, maybe it was her attitude, or her subtlety. Or maybe it was the danger that seemed to dance around her.

She hadn't said anything about it, but Isca was persuaded that she was a mercenary, an assassin. She had that aura of darkness around her, that aura of dangerous seduction, and he was pretty sure that she had daggers hidden everywhere on her.

And she was wearing pants. Isca had never seen a woman wearing pants outside of her house. It was, perhaps, what troubled him the most. And she had short hair. She was exotic, she was dangerous and she was attractive.

They reached the mansion and stopped before its doors. Gregory's large house was nearby, he would be home in a few minutes.

"I'll see you after tomorrow." Said Isca, looking up at his house.

"Yes."

With a nod, Isca left for his mansion. Some domestic welcomed him inside. Gregory stared at his back, then at the mansion for a moment. It truly was a beautiful piece of architecture. And he felt something burning the side of his face.

He looked in that direction, his eyes rising to a large balcony on the second floor. And his heart stopped.

In the moonlight, his eyes met Midna's.

They froze, staring at each other. And then, the young woman turned around and entered the mansion, fleeing.

Gregory blinked and looked away for a few seconds, trying to clear his mind before leaving.

But he couldn't.

* * *

Kar stood in front of the Temple of Time. The doors were opened for the visitors to come in and prey at the altar on the center alley. Monks covered in grey wool and hoods were inside, close to the chamber of the Master Sword, singing.

The noble boy entered the temple, his face grave. Once in a while, he went to the temple, he liked it. He liked how it seemed even more luminous than the sky outside, and how the roof was high and decorated. He liked the monks with their baritone voices as they sang in Old Hylian about the Goddesses and the legends of the Golden Realm. Most of all, he liked to walk slowly in the center aisle, between the wooden benches on which people came to prey, and reach the altar where the Ruby, the Sapphire and the Emerald of the Goddesses shone brightly.

Some people touched the jewels as they prayed. Kar never dared to. Then, if there were few enough citizens in the temple, he would go up, behind the altar and stand before the opened Door of Time and stare at the Master Sword.

The guards knew him well and they let him into the holy chamber. There, he'd sit down in the shadow, alone, and stare at the sword for hours, thinking. He never dared to get closer to the weapon; he never dared to touch it neither. He knew he could have, had he wanted, for the guards didn't pay much attention to what he did once inside. They were used to him and to his actions.

That day, he was there: sitting on the cold, stone floor, staring at the sword. The room was made in a way that wherever the sun might be in the sky, its light would be filtered by a well placed window and illuminate the blade. The Master Sword stood in its pedestal, as always, its blue-silvered blade shining ever so brightly. Yet, even from where Kar was, he saw the scratches upon the silver blade, he saw the notches and the rust and even some dried-up blood. The leather of its hilt had been used by sweat and it was as if the hands of the Hero of Time had been printed into it. The sword was his, he had left his marks on it.

People sometimes doubted that there had been a Hero at all, for after Ganondorf had been killed and the land had started to prosper again, there had been no one to glorify, no one to present to the people as "The Hero of Time". All that remained of that man was the Master Sword and, some rumors said, a worn-out emerald green tunic made of heavy leather. But no one had ever seen that armor, which added to the common thought that the Hero had never existed, along with the fact that no one was able to describe him physically: some said he was tall and handsome, others said he was small and malicious and others thought he was a Sheikah or some dark-haired mage with greyish skin. Kar had even heard a story about a small fairy.

But besides all these rumours and the belief that the Hero had never existed, Kar was persuaded otherwise: the Hero of Time was somewhere, still alive and waiting to be found. The young man knew it in his guts.

He had asked everyone about the legend. He had asked his mother, Sheik, Olwen, Mathias, Midna, his friends, the domestics, Zelda, the guards. Everyone. And the answers were always evasive, telling the child to go see someone else. His mother had lost her colours when he had mentioned it and she made him swear to never talk about it to his father. They were suspicious, and it frustrated Kar, for he _knew_ in his bones that his parents and the Sheikahs knew something. Or everything.

And Queen Zelda… She knew. It was apparent in her eyes, in her face as she had taken the question and thought what to answer. But no one gave any information.

So he sat by the Master Sword, thinking that this was the only clue he'd ever find. He was lost in thoughts, staring at the weapon as he had done so many times before, his eyes burning with the desire to learn about its story.

"Here again?"

Kar jumped and looked up. Rauru's old smile welcomed him. The young man chuckled lightly. "Yes… I have nothing better to do anyway."

"So you offer your consideration to the Goddesses and the Sword when you are bored, son?"

"Oh, no! That's not what I meant, Rauru!"

The old man chuckled. "I know. I was teasing you."

Kar sighed and got up. He looked at the old sage. "If I ask you again, will you tell me about the legend?" The blonde's voice was soft, somehow pleading.

Rauru stared at him, his smile never fading. "What is it you wish to know, son?"

Something lit up in Kar's green eyes. "Everything!"

The sage stared at him a long moment, studied his face, before he nodded. "Then I shall tell you the Legend of the Hero of Time. Sit down."

* * *

"Wow. So it happened like that?"

Rauru laughed lowly and nodded, his eyes closed and his smile still on his lips. "So the legend says."

Kar rolled his eyes. "So he was an orphan who received the Master Sword from the Queen and went to beat up monsters courageously and without ever failing?"

"You may read the books, if you wish."

Kar growled softly. He knew that Rauru was not giving away the _real_ truth. He was telling him a story. Anyway, dragons did not exist, monsters neither. "Did he have children? A wife? What did the Hero look like?"

Rauru stared at the blonde boy a moment. "The legend does not mention these facts. Maybe he did have a whole family, who knows?"

"You knew him, right?"

"As the Sage of Time, I had no choice."

"What was he like?"

The old man thought about how he could answer to this question. "He was a man with a good sense of humor and he did wear the green tunic mentioned in the common rumors. But he hated the fairy hat that came with it and discarded it quickly." Rauru chuckled to himself.

Kar's smile grew. He felt like he was finally starting to gather interesting information. "There must be people in this city who knew him? Who are they?"

The sage ran a hand into his thick beard, thinking. "I would not recommend you to go hunting for information on this man, son. Some people prefer to keep whatever happened secret." He stared at Kar, seriously. "Listen to this old man, son: if you wish to find clues about the Hero of Time, do it on your own and do not ask anyone. You would step right into danger."

The blonde boy stared at the sage, understanding that Rauru was not fooling him. He nodded, looking away and swallowing his saliva. It didn't please him to be put to silence.

"You're a good boy."

Kar growled.

Rauru laughed. "I wish to go to your mother, tonight. Guide this old man to your mansion, will you?"

"Yeah… Of course."

Kar straightened and Rauru took his arm. Slowly, they headed back to the mansion.

* * *

Midna sat by a large window on the second floor. It was grey and cold outside, she had no intention to get out. In front of her, a delicate cup of porcelain full with hot tea waited. She turned and turned her small spoon into the burning liquid as she stared at the movement of the colored fluids. Really, she hated tea.

She was thinking, remembering, over and over again that last meeting with Gregory and she couldn't forgive herself for fleeing like a scared little child when they had looked at each other. And she kept thinking that she should have done something else. She should have held his gaze. She should have done something.

This situation would have to be fixed, and quickly. And she would be the one to take the first steps. She was courageous enough. Or so she hoped.

Her mother appeared in the room, apparently in a hurry. "Midna, have you seen your brother?" She looked worried.

"Which one?" She knew the answer. Mathias never worried anyone.

"Your difficult twin brother who keeps disappearing."

"No. If I were you, I'd find where the girls are, and then I'd look for him in the same room."

Tatl sighed in irritation. The Twili noblewoman left the room, leaving her daughter alone. Midna kept staring at her tea.

Tatl walked through the corridors of her house, her breasts bouncing. She stopped when she saw Mathias in the library. He was reading, as always. She knocked on the door and slid into the room. The boy raised his eyes to greet his mother.

"Oh, Mother. May I do something for you?"

Tatl nodded. "Have you seen your brother?"

Mathias raised an eyebrow. "Not today. What for? He's gone?"

She sighed again, desperate. "As always."

The boy chuckled. "Have you looked in a nearby brothel?"

Tatl growled. "Kar isn't like that!"

He stared at her in the same way Isca did when he thought that she was crazy. "… Maybe we're not talking about the same brother, then, Mother dear."

"You're being arrogant, young man!"

Mathias looked surprised. "No, I'm not… I'm only pointing what's true, Mother: Kar is a player. Everyone knows it in this mansion and around town." He was perfectly calm, staring at her with wide eyes. "I'm sorry if I seemed arrogant to you, Mother. I never intended to be."

She stared at him. He was so much the spitting image of his father, it was troubling. Even Kar didn't look that much like his father. "It's okay, Mathias. I am merely worried. I over-reacted… He's been missing for hours, now."

The boy nodded, closing his book on his finger so he'd keep his page. "I can go and look for him, if you wish."

She shook her head. "No need. But if you happen to see him, please do tell him to bring his derrière to his mother."

A smile crept on the boy's full lips. "Of course."

Tatl left the library and headed towards the kitchen. If someone might know where the child was, it was one of the Sheikahs. She opened the door almost violently and entered the room. Sheik jumped and turned around. Olwen stared over his shoulder at her. They seemed to always be at the exact same spot, everyday.

"May I do something for you, dear, brutal maiden?" Asked the blonde man as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Have you seen my unruly son?"

"Kar? Not today. He didn't come to beg for food."

Olwen raised his eyes from his cooking and nodded to the window. "There he is, bringing company."

Tatl neared the window, hoping that by 'company', Olwen didn't mean that the boy was bringing over a girl. Isca would not welcome such a behavior.

She would not welcome such a behavior. Kar was not a player, he was not like-

The door flew open, and the Sage of Time appeared with the blond boy.

"Thank you, son, for helping me here." Said Rauru, sweaty from the long walk. "You know, I used to be an adventurer just like you. Then I took an arrow to the knee and I became a wizard."

Kar laughed. "I'm sure you're a better wizard than an adventurer."

The old man laughed. "You are quite right, son."

"I take it you were at the temple again?" Asked Tatl, arms crossed under her breasts.

Kar nodded, looking at his mother, smiling. "Yes. Why? You were looking for me?"

"I like to know where my children are at." She simply answered, slightly cold.

The boy smile fainted as he realized his mother's irritation. He lowered his forest-green gaze. "I'm sorry, mother."

Kar did look like his father physically, but what made him look so much like him was how he acted. And each time that the boy would lower his gaze like this, each single time, a shiver would run up the Twili's back, for she had seen Link do the exact same thing so many times.

Kar chuckled the same way as his father, with the same malice. His eyes flashed in anger in the exact same way. He clenched his fist the same way. He moved his brows the same way.

Of her three children, Kar was Tatl's favorite. She wouldn't admit out loud –though everyone knew- and she wouldn't admit why neither. She loved him for being the sweet, intelligent and nice boy that he was, and also a part of her loved him even more deeply because of his resemblance with Link.

But she also found herself hating him, sometimes, for being so similar to the Hero of Time.

Tatl stared at him a moment, then she sighed. "It's fine, Kar. I would only appreciate it if you could inform me that you are going out before disappearing. No need to tell me where you are going, if you wish… But tell me you won't be in the mansion, alas." Her voice was fading as she was talking for the afternoon Sheik had announced her that Link was gone was coming back to her.

And suddenly, she was lost in thought, lost in pain and nostalgia.

"Mom?"

She looked up. Everyone was staring at her. Sheik's eyes were way graver as he knew perfectly well what she was thinking about. Tatl smiled to her son. "I'm sorry, Kar. I was lost in thoughts. So, what were you doing at the temple, this time?"

He shrugged. "Nothing much. I just like to sit in the Chamber of Time and stare at the Master Sword, thinking."

"You… Stare at the sword?" Asked Sheik. "What for, young man?" He and Olwen looked at each other briefly.

"I don't know…" Said Kar, turning around to face Sheik. "I feel attracted to it."

Sheik stared at the boy, his red eyes seemed to burn like Hell's fire.

Olwen chuckled, breaking the intense atmosphere. "I know quite some people being attracted to that sword. She is a charmer, it would seem." He was smirking, like always.

Behind, Rauru laughed. "Indeed." He rested a hand on Kar's shoulder. "Now, son, why don't you let us, old people, together? There are things I wish to discuss with your mother."

"I'm mature enough to stay, Rauru." Said Kar.

The sage laughed softly. "You are, but it's uninteresting. We shall have a talk about flowers."

Kar seemed perplexed. He looked at his mother. "Flowers?"

Tatl, still smiling, nodded. "Yes, I told Rauru I would be sending him a whole cargo of flowers we've been growing in the gardens. There are way too many of them and I need to send them off."

The boy blinked. "I'll be off, then…" Suspiciously, Kar left the kitchen.

The Sheikahs, Rauru and Tatl waited a moment before talking again.

"So, about these flowers…"

* * *

Kar had been eavesdropping for fifteen minutes on the other side of the door. And they were, really, talking about flowers. He swore to himself that he would never let his mind grow old enough to have a full conversation about plants.

"I'll send you the shipment as soon as I can gather a few men." Finally said Tatl.

"The temple will look magnificent with such colors." Replied Rauru.

"Of course. So will the Master Sword, when Kar goes to stare at her again."

"Indeed."

They grew silent a moment. Then someone coughed.

"He's attracted to the sword." It was Sheik's voice. His tone was grave, affirmative.

Another short period of silence followed.

"Yes…" Said Rauru, reluctantly. "He is."

"Isn't that a bad omen?"

"What do you mean?"

"If he's attracted, then isn't the sword calling a master? Doesn't that mean that Hyrule will be _needing_ her Hero, again?"

"But if Kar is attracted…" It was Tatl's voice. "Does that mean that the Hero of Time is… Not able to wield it anymore?" There was an emotion into his mother's voice that Kar could not identify. Something like fear and yet hope. Something strange…

Hero of Time. Kar held his breath in order to hear everything that would follow.

"He is not able to take his sword in hands because he is not in Hyrule anymore." Replied Rauru.

"How do you know? He could be dead. Else, wouldn't the Master Sword be calling him instead of Kar?" Said Sheik, bitterness in his voice.

Someone moved.

"We all know why Kar is being called by her." Pointed Olwen's low, logical voice. "Our little hero must be far from the kingdom, and the blade's call must not reach him." He paused. "So she is demanding the one person who is the closest to him."

"The sword can do that?" It was Sheik.

"She begs for the blood, not for the man." Answered Rauru. "The triforce calls her just as much as she is calling for it. The boy must have some of it in him."

Kar blinked. They were talking about him, right? The triforce? In _him_?

There was another pause. Someone put something on a table.

"So, if the Master Sword is calling for her master… Does that mean that Hyrule will need her sharp edges again?"

"It is quite possible." Rauru's voice was heavy, when he answered. "But she'll demand her Hero, not the boy, as soon as she'll fell his presence."

"He's gone, Rauru." Tatl answered, seeming tired. "Possibly dead."

"There is one thing I do not know, dear Tatl, and it is where the Hero has spent the last years of his life. But there is also one thing that I do know for sure." Rauru marked a pause. "And it is that the Hero still lives."

* * *

Kar was lying on his bed.

He couldn't have been more troubled than he was after hearing this whole conversation. He couldn't understand yet, couldn't digest what he had heard. The sword was calling him in replacement of the Hero of Time, he had something to do with some triforce, and his whole entourage seemed to know the man who had apparently saved Hyrule many years ago.

In his head, there was no order, no sense to everything he had heard. Even if he tried to think logically, he was too excited, too shocked and it exasperated him to be so close to something without being able to figure it out.

But he felt that something had changed drastically in his life and he couldn't know what.

He sighed heavily, feeling the beginning of a headache. It was night, outside. Yet, he felt like he needed to go and take a walk. Maybe it would help him think straight.

The boy got up. It was a chilly evening, so he grabbed a heavy linen cape and wrapped himself in it.

And without warning Tatl or anyone else that he was going for a walk, Kar left the mansion.

* * *

Night had fallen. In the slums, the air seemed thick and humid. Isca reached the abandoned house that had been chosen for the first meeting. He was nervous, his palms were moist. He looked at the wooden, rotten door before pushing it open and entering the dark, one-room house. There was a table lightened by a lantern. On it, a map of the kingdom was installed. Around the table were a few wooden chairs and facing each other, Kira and Gregory. In the back of the room, a few men, covered in thin and black leather armor, were standing. They had masks that reached above their noses and let only their eyes be seen. They looked like Sheikahs, but Isca knew better: they were assassins.

The auburn-haired woman and Gregory stared up at Isca as he appeared. The lieutenant smiled and nodded. Kira offered the captain a rather sensual stare.

"So it is time…" Whispered Isca, more for himself than for the others to hear.

Gregory looked down at the map, rested his hands on it. "Yes…"

Kira crossed her arms over her chest. "So what is your plan, my captain?" Her accent seemed to fill the room. She sat on the table's edge and Isca noted, that she had large hips. She looked up at him, her eyes glowing with malice in the darkness.

The knight swallowed his saliva as he stared at her. He looked at Gregory, when he became too troubled by her aura. "Hyrule is becoming weak." He thought that his voice sounded weird, as if he wasn't the one talking. "We have to do something about it."

"And?" Asked Kira.

Isca sighed softly. His heart was pounding. "A revolution is needed…"

"A putsch." Replied Kira, nodding. "We need to get rid of the queen and install someone else, isn't this what you were trying to say, captain?"

Isca looked at her. "Yes, that is what I was trying to say. Thank you." His tone was commanding, irritated.

It made her smile. He was a dominant man, visibly. She liked that.

"To put it short," started Gregory, "The kingdom is losing military power due to the laws our queen has created recently. The criminality rate is increasing, the bandits are everywhere, the nobles are at their mercy for the new laws keep the guards from doing most of their work. We may have a strong commerce, but we are losing half of our shipments from other regions within our borders and outside the kingdom due to the incapacity of the guards to actually do something against the bandits. The other kingdoms are well aware of our weak military right now, and we've heard many rumours of spying, attacks and possible wars to conquer Hyrule."

"And if Hyrule is to be conquered, it would be preferable if it was by someone from the kingdom and who would install a government that would be beneficial to it." Said Isca.

Gregory nodded. "But not only are our merchants and nobility constantly in need of assistance we can't provide: the small people, the peasants, have no mean to defend themselves for they are without rupees; whilst a noble can hire a mercenary to take care of his business, a peasant cannot and must simply accept his position."

"This is unacceptable." Replied Isca. "The scum that pollutes Hyrule's splendor from within the slums, right here, have more rights than the good people, right now. And even though the people have been pleading to the queen, or even her soldiers and such, she will not listen. We must overthrow her from her throne."

Kira snickered. "To replace her with whom?"

Gregory looked up at her, then at his captain, smiling. "Isca."

Kira stared at the knight. He held her stare, waiting for her judgement. She smiled to him lasciviously. "I see." She got up, neared Isca until she was quite close to him, maybe too close. "But… I will demand compensation, you are well aware, _my captain_?" She ran her index on his torso.

Normally, Isca would have pushed her away. But he found out he couldn't. Instead, he looked down at her finger as she traced the contour of his pectorals through his shirt. She stirred something in him, something enjoyable. "What kind of compensation?" He heard himself ask, his voice low.

She chuckled sexually. "I take gold. I take jewels. And I'd take _you_."

There was a very loud noise by the window, outside, followed by a curse. They all stared right at the window, just in time to see a cloaked individual getting up and running away.

"Get him!" Called Isca.

And a second later, everyone was outside, hunting for the eavesdropping idiot who had just signed a contract with Death itself.

Isca didn't know what that person might have heard or seen. Yet, he couldn't take any chance. If it reached anyone's ears, it was his and Gregory's heads that would be cut.

He drew his sword as he ran into the alleys. The fugitive was pretty noisy, so they could follow him rather easily. But he was quick and therefore, was in advance on he and Gregory who were way heavier.

But Kira was light, quick and slender, plus she was a skilled assassin and used with the shadows. She quickly disappeared ahead of the two swordsmen, with her men.

And soon enough there was a commotion in a dark alleyway. There were shouts and screams, yet no clash of blades.

And the voice Isca heard was one he knew, but he couldn't identify it right away. He would need to be closer. So he hurried, as the bad feeling he already had intensified.

Something was way too wrong. He was sure of it now.

He reached Kira.

She was taming the spy who had run off. Isca recognized the cape. He frowned. And then he stopped and froze, the colours draining from his face.

Kira pushed the hood on the boy's head away. She grabbed a handful of blond hair and pulled on them, revealing a pale throat. She pressed her blade against his windpipe and the blood was already starting to pearl down the boy's neck-

"Stop!" Commanded Gregory beside Isca. "Don't kill the boy!"

Kira looked up, surprised. "He heard us." She stated. "He has to die."

"He's Isca's son!"

* * *

**I'm sorry for the time the update took, but I seriously wrote each part at least 3 times.**

**For those who might wonder what kinda music I listen to when writing, here:**

**Apparat – **_**The Devil's Walk **_**(my favorite CD)**

**Bon Iver – **_**Bon Iver**_

**XX – **_**The XX**_

**Brian Tyler – **_**Final Destination 5 Soundtrack**_

**Richard Strauss – **_**Orchestral Works **_**(5 CDs)**

**Red – **_**Let It Burn **_**(for this is TL's song)**

**So please review and tell me how you liked it.**

**Gamesplayers**


	5. Chapter IV

**Welcome to chapter 4!**

**This one was really easy and enjoyable to write. And it'll be the same for the chapter 5 too. ;)**

**IMPORTANT NOTICE TO THE NEW REVIEWERS: GO READ TWISTED DESTINY BEFORE READING THIS STORY, FOR THIS IS THE SEQUEL! THANKS! =)  
**

_**Graffiti decorations**__**  
**__**Under a sky of dust**__**  
**__**A constant wave of tension**__**  
**__**On top of broken trust**__**  
**__**The lessons that you taught me**__**  
**__**I learn were never true**__**  
**__**Now I find myself in question**__**  
**__**(They point the finger at me again)**__**  
**__**Guilty by association**__**  
**__**(You point the finger at me again)**_

_**I wanna run away**_

_**Never say goodbye**__**  
**__**I wanna know the truth**__**  
**__**Instead of wondering why**__**  
**__**I wanna know the answers**__**  
**__**No more lies**__**  
**__**I wanna shut the door**__**  
**__**And open up my mind**__**Paper bags and angry voices**__**  
**__**Under a sky of dust**__**  
**__**Another wave of tension**__**  
**__**Has more than filled me up**__**  
**__**All my talk of taking action**__**  
**__**These words were never true**__**  
**__**Now I find myself in question**__**  
**__**(They point the finger at me again)**__**  
**__**Guilty by association**__**  
**__**(You point the finger at me again**_

_**)**__**I wanna run away**__**  
**__**Never say goodbye**__**  
**__**I wanna know the truth**__**  
**__**Instead of wondering why**__**  
**__**I wanna know the answers**__**  
**__**No more lies**__**  
**__**I wanna shut the door**__**  
**__**And open up my mind**__**I'm gonna run away and never say goodbye**__**  
**__**(gonna run away gonna run away gonna run away gonna run away)**__**  
**__**I'm gonna run away and never wonder why**__**  
**__**(gonna run away gonna run away gonna run away gonna run away)**__**  
**__**I'm gonna run away and open up my mind**__**  
**__**(gonna run away gonna run away gonna run away gonna run away gonna run away gonna run away gonna run away gonna run away)**__**I wanna run away**__**  
**__**Never say goodbye**__**  
**__**I wanna know the truth**__**  
**__**Instead of wondering why**__**  
**__**I wanna know the answers**__**  
**__**No more lies**__**  
**__**I wanna shut the door**__**  
**__**And open up my mind**__**I wanna run away**__**  
**__**and open up my mind**__**  
**__**I wanna run away**__**  
**__**and open up my mind**__**  
**__**I wanna run away**__**  
**__**and open up my mind**__**  
**__**I wanna run away**__**  
**__**and open up my mind**_

_**Runaway**_** – Linkin Park. It pretty much makes me think of Kar.**

**So, replies to reviewers:**

**NRZWolf13: Yes, I did. I used the Skyrim line and I am proud to have. It made me laugh long enough all alone for it to be worthy to be said by Rauru. Mathias going bat-shit crazy… That's a possibility. We'll see in time. In my case, I'm like, falling in love with Isca as this story goes on and I'm glad you're starting to love him too. He is a fantastic man, in the end. Handsome with that. Kira proves to have a nice temper. I'm starting to love to write her. And I won't answer much more because I'd be spoiling, one way or another.**

**HextheDaydreamer: I love Mathias too and I'm always glad when I turn a ready mentally unstable. Tells me I'm doing great work ;). And, well… Kar has what it takes to get in bad situations. We'll see what'll happen next.**

**S : Hi. Who are you? =) Well, I'm happy to have a new reviewer and yes, I had to leave it like that ;) But you'll find out what's happening soon enough, no worry. Thanks for reviewing, once again. **

**Kirkysaurus: Orgasms are great. I love giving people orgasms. ;) Mathias is awesome. I love writing him and his twisted mind. Yeah, he's pretty much crushing on his bro. Badly. Greggy-poo… Why do I really like that? Midna… Midna… Midna! I'd totally let her rape me, if she wanted to, I have to admit.**

**Princess-of-all-saiyins: Never will I use your new pen name. Never. Isca's dislike of Kar comes from his resemblance with Link. Would the man be able to look at the child without seeing that other bastard, it would be different. Midna does not look or act much like her biological father, so it's easier for Isca to love her. And he loves her a lot. Ahah! I can guarantee you that you are right on this: the second Isca will break a cable, the world will explode. You do not anger this man. Zelda was nice with him. She should have, technically, done much worst. But she can't blame Isca, she knows him well, knows how precious he is to Hyrule. She cannot risk pissing him off too much. And yet, she already has without knowing. I received a lot of very good comments concerning the scene with Mathias and Kar. I didn't think you'd all react so much, yet, I'm glad. It was a nice scene to write . Gregory and Midna… Just read this damn chapter. Thank you for your long review. It makes me happy. You're awesome.**

**Monsterhunter100: Thank you. I'm sorry for your internet. Don't worry, it'll come back eventually.**

**ZeldaStep: Hellow, how's you? Yeah, Mathias is pretty great, but he'll take slightly more space later on. You shall see. As for Kar and Isca… Well, you'll find out soon enough. ;) Thanks for reviewing and enjoy your new reading.**

**ZeldaLover : Hola! New reviewer? Well, welcome! If you get an account, I could reply to your reviews, and you could just put this story into your alerts. This way, you'd get a message for the updates when they come. But thanks for reading and reviewing **

**Genesisluv98: Ahhhhh, you. Once again, thank you so very much for pointing out my vocabulary's level up! I've been reading about medieval life, now, and I think it's showing. I'm very happy you pointed it out, really. Now, thank you for the rest of the review which I won't comment because I might spoil you more than I have already, and I cracked up too when I wrote the Skyrim reference. Oh well. Love you.**

**AlwaysTomorrow: I don't know if you've reached this chapter yet, but welcome If you get an account, I'll reply to your review and you'll be able to catch up with the updates more easily. Now, thank you for reading and reviewing, and I hope to read more from you!**

**Now, I must thank with all my heart my dear, dear giraffe lady for reading each chapter 10 times and pointing out everything that doesn't work. Twisted Legacy would never be this good, Lydia, without you. Thank you, and I love you.**

**I have to warn you people, because of the new guideline angst, that there'll be some sex in this chapter. Nothing too explicit, yet a… **_**furnished**_** scene. So, enjoy and review!**

**Gamesplayers.**

* * *

IV

When they reached the mansion, Tatl was outside with the Sheikahs. The two men held torches as the Twili, in her nightgown, watched with wide, terrified eyes her son and husband coming back home together. Kar walked ahead of his father, head down, as the knight behind seemed angrier than ever.

Tatl, seeing her son, ran up to him, calling his name in the middle of the night. The boy didn't look up as she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight, crying softly.

"I was so worried, Kar! Never disappear like this again!" She pleaded against him.

Behind, Isca stopped walking to stare at the boys' back. Kar could feel the back of his head burn, even through the cloak. Sniffing, Tatl took a step back to take off her son's hood and look at his sorry face. Yet, she gasped when she saw him.

The right half of his face was slightly swollen and the skin around his eye was darker, purplish. His lip had been split. At the base of his hair, there was dried blood, which had also dripped down to his forehead and stopped at his brow.

And on his throat, there was a neat cut. It hadn't been deep enough to hurt any organ. Yet, the mark of the blade was sharp.

"What happened?" She asked, eyes wide, horrified to see her son in such a state.

The boy looked up at her, fear in his forest-green eyes. He didn't find the strength to answer to his mother.

Behind, Mathias and Midna, both in their nightwear, appeared beside the Sheikahs. Midna brought her hands to her mouth while Mathias opened wide eyes as he looked at his older brother.

Behind, Isca growled. "Yes, Kar. Why don't you tell your mother what happened?" He crossed his arms over his broad chest, angry.

The boy froze. "I…" He stopped talking, too afraid to say anything he shouldn't.

Tatl rested her cold hands on the boy's cheek. "You can tell me, Kar." She smiled, tears in her eyes. "I'll take care of you."

The boy blinked back tears. Slowly, he looked down. He couldn't bear to look at his mother. "I… went out at night… Like you told me not to…" His voice was weird, as if he found it hard to articulate properly. "And I went in the slums… and I was attacked… and… and…" He took a deep breath. "Father was there to… save me."

"Gregory was the one who saved your son." Replied Isca, voice as cold as ice.

Tatl's eyes moved from Isca to Kar and back again. "I hope these criminals will be arrested."

Isca held her stare, a fire of anger burning in his eyes. "Of course. Who do you think I am?"

The Twili glared at Isca for the coldness he displayed towards his injured son and herself, before looking at Kar again. "Come home, Kar. We'll see to your wounds, alright?"

Kar nodded and started to walk with his mother, towards the house. Then, he stopped abruptly and turned around to face his father. He met Isca's stare and held it. There was no defiance in his eyes, only pain and fear. "I'm sorry."

Isca did not react. His eyes kept that ice-cold depth. Kar lowered his head and followed his mother again. Soon, the whole family and Sheikahs disappeared into the mansion, leaving Isca alone outside.

The knight stared up at his house. Even if the boy was traumatized, right now, he would eventually regain his temper and talk.

He sighed, a headache growing in his cranium.

* * *

Kar was sitting by the big balcony on the second floor. The morning sun was high. The day would be beautiful. Yet, every second seemed heavier than the world to the blonde boy. He hadn't slept that night, even after his wounds had been taken care of.

He couldn't yet swallow what had happened a few hours back. He knew things that he never should have heard about and the secret was too intense for him. A putsch was coming; his father and uncle-like best friend were at the head of the complot. He had even seen that woman –who had nearly killed him- try to seduce his father…

He closed his eyes for a moment. It hurt. All he did was hurting him, right now. He was swollen beyond what he thought he'd be. He brushed his cheek with the tips of his fingers and took his hand away immediately. It hurt too much.

Kar had trained many times and received many blows. But they were training blows… Not real murder attempts in a back alley of the slums past midnight. He never thought it would feel like this, to be attacked. It was a traumatism, as if the world had welcomed him with a punch to the face, screaming: "This is how it really looks like, bastard!"

And Isca. After the boy had been beaten, he had called for his father. And the knight hadn't moved, merely stared down at him. It was Gregory who had helped him to stand up and who had tried to reassure him.

And all Kar was craving for, all that while, was for a fatherly hug.

Then, Isca had rested his iron hand on the boy's shoulder and had announced that they were going home, alone, the two of them. They hadn't talked. Isca kept walking behind his son, his eyes burning the back of his head, and Kar was not sure if it was because he was angry that he had gone out at night or because he had heard things he never should have.

His mother had consoled him. Or tried to. But what he needed, really, was for his father to be there and tell him that it was okay. He had committed a grave mistake and no one could console him, right now, but Isca.

And, so far, the knight had, apparently, no intention to be there for his son.

The door to the balcony opened. Kar looked at it, alerted. Midna appeared, wearing a light dress. She was bringing breakfast. She sat down in front of him and smiled to her brother. Somehow, her presence reassured the boy. She was his elder by a few minutes, yet his elder sister anyway, and she brought the comfort that came with the title.

He smiled as much as he could without grimacing. She served him a plate, which he stared at, but did not touch for a little while. He was not hungry.

Midna looked at her brother, tenderness in her usually cold eyes. "How do you feel?"

He looked down. "Hurt." Tears were gathering into his lids. He felt like he was about to break down and cry like a little girl.

She reached for his hand. He hid it under the table so she wouldn't make contact with him. He was too edgy; felt that it would be too much if she touched him.

Midna looked hurt from his reaction. Yet, she looked at him, ever so softly. "Kar… What you told mom, last night… It wasn't the truth, right?"

Kar stared sharply at her, eyes suddenly larger. He looked like a caged animal. "What do you mean? Of course, I told the truth!"

Midna was surprised by so much aggressiveness. "I was only asking, Kar. No need to react like this. I'm not attacking you."

He kept glaring at her as if she was about to cut his throat before he progressively started to calm down. "Look. I heard stuff yesterday and then I went outside to think about it. And I got attacked in the slums, I don't know why. Gregory and Father were there, happily." Kar looked down at his untouched tea.

"What is it that you heard for you to be this distressed, Kar?"

The boy was quiet a moment. "I heard mom, Sheik, Olwen and Rauru talk about the Master Sword and the Hero and these things in the kitchen yesterday. It bugged me and I went outside to think. Then it happened all so fast…" His voice broke and he shut up.

She looked at her brother as he let his head fall down, hair covering his face. His shoulders shook softly as he tried to cry silently. Midna got up and walked up to Kar, took him into her arms and hugged him tight. "It's over, it's going to be okay."

"No… It won't…" He whispered, between tears. "Father won't forgive me… I said I was sorry and he just kept being angry! He won't even look at me!" The pain was so intense in her brother's hiccupping voice that it brought tears to Midna's eyes.

"Shh, Kar. It's going to be alright." She held him tighter. "If you wish, I'll talk to dad for you."

He shook his head against her. "No. It's fine."

"Kar, if that's what you need-"

He pushed her away and got up. Kar glared down at his sister, the tears had left red lines on his cheeks. "I said it's fine!" He turned around and fled into the mansion.

Midna watched him leave. Usually, she would have been irritated at his reaction. But now, she understood him well. She sat down at the balcony, alone, and stared into the distance, wondering what had truly happened in that alleyway.

* * *

Tatl was going through the house's letters more or less absently as her mind was focused on her injured son. If she had been there, she would have killed that monster who had laid their hands on her child.

The mail was mostly addressed to Isca, she had a handwritten note from Zelda for herself and a love letter had been sent to Kar. She discarded the latter.

She found her husband in his study on the second floor of the mansion. Isca was already going through papers he had forgotten a long time ago. She put the letters on top of his work.

"You've got mail." Tatl's voice wasn't cold, but it held no heat. She was very unhappy with Isca's reaction while Kar was bleeding and asking for forgiveness.

He looked up at her, then at his letters. "Thank you."

She sat down behind him in a loveseat to open her own mail. She read it and smiled softly. "Annual ball. Again."

Isca turned on his chair to look at her. "You've just received the invitations?"

She nodded. "It'll do Kar some good to get out the mansion and see other people. Maybe even meet a nice lady, who knows."

Isca looked at her and lowered his gaze. Now, he felt ashamed by his own reaction the night before. The boy hadn't deserved to be treated this way, but the knight had no control over his reaction. He would have slapped him himself if the child hadn't been already pretty injured. "Yes. I hope that'll change his mind." He said, softly.

"You've been harsh, Isca. Too harsh with him. I understand your anger since he disobeyed, but the last thing he needed was for you to be cold with him."

Isca sighed. He looked suddenly very tired. "I know."

"If you won't apologize to him, at least you should forgive him." She stared at him until he found her eyes with his. "He needs you, Isca. You are his father. He knows nothing of what happened back then." Sometimes, Tatl still impressed him. She could be so strong, so powerful and stand her ground like no other women would. "And may I remind you that you said that you would raise the children like yours, when you married me? It's not their fault, if I committed a mistake. If you must hate someone, hate me."

He held her burning gaze a moment before sighing and nodding. "You are right."

She smiled, victorious and sincerely glad to hear him say so, and he knew that it was for Kar's sake and not for the pride of winning an argument against him. "Now, I'll go and tell everyone about the ball." She got up. "I'm counting on you to talk to our son."

Tatl left. Isca stared at her as she did.

His heart ached between the truths he was facing; Kar loved him and needed him, and the boy knew everything and proved to be dangerous.

He didn't know what to do with him.

* * *

The day had gone by slowly. Mathias was sitting into his bedroom, staring out the window at the gardens and thinking, wondering what he would have done is Kar had been killed in that alleyway.

He played over and over the scenes, in his head, of that night he had spied on his brother and the girl, of the training session where he had been _so close_ and then… When he had seen Kar so broken and beaten, his heart had sunk and nearly shattered.

He could not lose his brother… He would not endure it. He meant too much to him, he meant salvation of all these things turning and turning into his head, always, and making him obsessed and weird and… And…

And his mind was turning and spinning again as he thought about Kar.

He thought about his brother's injury, about his blood running down his face and wondered what it would be like to hurt him. Just a little bit. Hear him scream and fight back… What it would be like to… possess him…

It aroused him. And it frustrated him to be aroused. Mathias growled.

A part of him loved his deviancies, and a part of him was so ashamed sometimes, he couldn't even stare at his reflection in the mirror. He was, after all, having a big, nasty crush over his brother. And it wasn't a nice little, girly crush. No-no. The fantasies playing in his head were way darker...

And once again, he found himself in erection. The rock-hard sort of erection that he could not get rid off unless he pleased himself.

He growled in frustration. Yet, he undid his pants –only what would be necessary to reveal himself- and took care of his business, playing the scenes he had witnessed and the scenes he invented in his head while doing so.

It happened too often, it was wrong. Yet, it felt incredible, each and single time he touched himself while thinking of this…

And when he was done, Mathias went back to staring out his window, his mind still lost in his thoughts, still lost in his deviancies.

* * *

It would be dinner in an hour or so and Isca wanted to get things straight with Kar before they would reach the table and poison the atmosphere with the boy's despair and his own, misplaced pride. He sighed, staring right at the door of the boy's bedroom. He knew he was in there. He had been hiding in there most of the day, sending away everyone who tried to go and comfort him.

Isca sighed, before knocking gently on the wooden door.

"Leave me alone." Called Kar from his lair.

For a moment, Isca considered walking away. Then, he lowered his gaze as something that had been missing for a long time into his dad-mind told him that he would be the worst, negligent father of the kingdom if he didn't go in there and take care of that boy right then.

So he turned the knob, was surprised not to kind it locked, and entered.

Kar was sitting on his bed, a cushion on his lap, and he stared with wide –too wide- eyes at his father as he neared him. Without saying anything, the boy followed his movements until Isca sat beside him, on the bed.

And Kar thought that he really looked immense beside his frail self, on that rather small bed.

Isca sighed, looking away at first. Kar, behind, pushed his whole body against the wall until his back was completely flattened on the concrete.

Isca turned on the bed so he could face his… son. He looked at Kar, studied his features. And the evidence couldn't be discarded that he looked like his real father. He had the same terrified look into his eyes and even his swollen face brought memories into Isca's mind. Yet, how could he blame that child for what a man he didn't know about had done?

"I-I-I'm sorry…. Fa-"

Isca shook his head softly.

Kar stopped talking.

"I'm the one who's sorry, Kar." Isca said, his voice almost affectionate. "I should have comforted you instead of being harsh. You didn't need to be pushed further."

The blonde boy froze. He seemed to become a statue for a moment as he completely stopped moving and the beige parts of his face turned to white.

Isca smiled, even chuckled. "Are you really this surprised, or simply an incredibly good actor?"

A large smile crept slowly on Kar's face as he tried to hold it down. He looked away, unable to control his face. "I'm not such a good actor, you know…"

Isca stared at his adopted son and couldn't resist his boyish charm and thought for the first time of his life that, maybe, if he hadn't been so immature all these years, it would have been different... He could have loved that child, had he tried to.

Kar looked up at him, suddenly. His smile fading. "I swear I won't tell anything, Father. I won't betray you. Never."

Isca's smile faded slowly too. He had forgotten for a moment that part of what had happened the previous night. He looked down at his hands, his warming heart telling him to believe the child while his mind reminded the knight that Kar could become angry and impulsive at anytime and run straight to Zelda.

Yet, he decided that, at least for that night, he would believe Kar.

So he smiled to the boy and looked back at him. He nodded, not knowing what to tell him.

The blonde's eyes lit up in a way that he had never seen before. He looked happy. Truly relieved and glad. And without saying anything, he neared his father.

Isca stared at him as he got closer and closed his eyes when he hugged him.

He petted his hair as Kar sobbed on his shoulder.

And Isca's heart ached in his chest as he realized that Kar was, in the end, only an innocent child.

And an innocent child that had suffered because of him.

* * *

Midna was facing her mirror and replacing her clothes for the hundredth time. She cleared her throat, examined her reflection over and over again. She was wearing a light and dark purple dress that went up to her neck, covering her curves, yet the black corset revealed that she was far from being devoid of femininity…

It was time.

Kar was suddenly feeling incredibly good and he was almost back to being noisy. At least, his smile and energy were there again, and he was bugging Mathias as always. He was still swollen, but happy, at least.

She knew that it was because Isca had talked to him. Neither of them had mentioned that it had happened, but Midna just knew. Maybe it was because she was the boy's twin. Or maybe it was because she had the pretention to know her father well. He was a soft man, in the end. Softer than anyone else.

The sun was setting. She would go out later than usual, but since she would be staying in the neighborhood and not into some dark alley in the slums, no one would be angry. Well, she wouldn't tell Isca, for he wouldn't let her out.

Gathering her skirts, Midna exited her bedroom and walked to her younger brother's bedroom. She knocked. There were movements behind the door. Something fell on the floor and Mathias cursed softly. She smiled, thinking he had probably jumped at her knocking and dropped a book.

He opened the door. He looked slightly confused.

"M-Midna? May I help you?"

She inspected his face. Mathias was always a little weird, she thought. "What about you and I get out of here telling mom we are going for a walk. Then, you go your way, I go mine, when we're done, we join and get back to the mansion without anyone really knowing what we did?"

The boy frowned. "What trouble are you willing to get yourself into?"

She smiled. "No trouble. I'm going to see someone. You go do whatever you want during that time."

He considered her. Her offer was not without interest. He rarely went out at night and each time, he ended up finding something… Interesting. Finally, he nodded. "I'm in."

"Thank you, sweet brother."

Mathias disappeared back into his bedroom, prepared himself and then joined his sister. Together, smiles on their faces, they found Tatl in her boudoir, on the first floor, chatting casually with Olwen.

She looked up at her children. "You two have evil smiles. What have you done?"

The siblings both laughed.

"Nothing, mother dear. Midna and I were going for a walk around town and we wished to warn you."

The Twili's smile faded lightly as she stared at her children. "A walk? And the truth is?"

"It is the truth, mom." Said Midna. "We won't get into the slums."

Tatl looked over at Olwen. He shrugged. She looked back at her children. "And by when will you be back? It's sunset already."

"Before bedtime." Said Mathias.

Besides, Midna nodded. "And if we're not, send Olwen to get us."

The Sheikah chuckled. "No one has regards for my old bones, now."

Tatl rolled her eyes at him. Everyone knew that Olwen was just as in good shape as when he was young. She looked at Midna, for she did not fear for her son. "I trust you, young lady, to be back by bedtime. Or you'll face consequences."

Midna nodded. "Yes, mom."

"Now go wander. And stay out of trouble."

When Mathias and Midna were out the mansion, they looked at each other… And laughed. It had been quite easy.

They walked for a short while before the boy looked at his sister. "So, where are you going?"

"It's a secret."

"You can tell me."

She shook her head. "No. Let's join by the market place later. I'm going off, now."

He stared at her. "Okay…"

Midna started walking away in a different direction from Mathias. He followed her with his eyes for a moment. She was going nowhere he could identify, for Midna had been wise enough to take a whole different path to reach her destination…

* * *

Midna stared at the entrance door. It was a huge house, though not a mansion. Her heart beat violently into her chest. She could feel it in her eyes. She cleared her throat and gathered her courage.

She was strong. She was a grown-up and mature woman. She would be composed and everything would turn out right.

She had worked her alibi to be here all day long. It was time.

Midna raised her hand and presented her delicate knuckles to the door, yet she couldn't find the strength to knock. Her breath was caught up in her throat as her nails dug into her skin. Her hands were moist.

_You are not a child anymore, Midna. You can and must do it._ Repeated the voice in her head.

Behind her, a cat mewed. She screamed lightly, jumped and her hand, too close to the door, knocked on it.

She forgot about the cat and stared at the wooden, large door with wide eyes.

There were noises on the other side.

And a second later, the door was opening.

And Midna was now facing Olga, an old, small woman who was Gregory's head servant. She smiled to the young woman, seeing her. "Lady Midna! You look terrified, something happened? Come in, come in!" She grabbed the young woman's arm and pulled her inside.

Midna followed, still surprised.

"Did a cat get your tongue? How beautiful you are! Did you come here to see master Nicolas? Alone? Ohoh! What a hussy young woman! I will call him for you."

She finally pulled her arm free. "No need, dear Olga! I know my way around the house." She smiled to the old lady. "I'm sure you were quite busy, I won't keep you away from your work any longer."

The old woman looked at her funnily, a glitter of mockery in her small, dark eyes. "Hm… I do have a lot of work. Are you sure you know your way?"

The young woman nodded. "Of course I do!"

Olga smiled to her, finally. "If you are dismissing me, lady Midna, I will go, then." The old woman turned around with a sly smile on her thin, beige lips. She slowly disappeared in a nearby room.

Midna sighed. Maybe she should have made herself announced. Wouldn't it be quite weird if she showed up all of a sudden? Oh well. She was there, now. Her heart still raced in her chest as she went up a series of stairs to the second floor. She had come here often, more often than her brothers, with her father to see Gregory. She knew where he'd be.

She made scenarios into her head as she approached the vast study in which she was sure he'd be. Midna would start by thanking him for saving her brother. And then, she would bring the subject of her confessions. Now, he would either push her away or accept her offer… She was sure he would reject her, but part of her wished he would not.

And that part of her wanted for more than just… Agreement? Midna felt that fire in her lower body lit up slowly as she closed in. She would not rush anything… But if it were to happen… She knew that she shouldn't give in to this kind of temptation before being wed, but she believed herself to be mature enough to decide what to do with her body herself…

Midna stood in front of the double wooden doors. She wondered if doors were made of other materials than wood, somewhere. Like stone door, maybe?

Without thinking, she knocked. It was when she was done that her cheeks flustered.

"Come in." It was his voice. She had been right.

Taking in a deep breath, she pushed open the door. _You can do it._

Gregory didn't look up right away. He was apparently working on a large, dark-wooden desk. He held a glass of a dark-colored alcohol as he read what looked to be a report. Midna knew what they looked like for his father had a pile he rarely touched on his own desk.

She stood there, her back against the double closed doors which she locked subtly, her eyes on him.

Finally, Gregory looked up, probably wondering why the person who had come in wasn't saying anything or moving.

The surprise was readable on his face. He put his glass down as he stared at the young lady. "Midna?"

She smiled and nodded. "Good evening…"

His expression grew suspicious. "What is bringing you here? Is there something I can do for you?" He got up, seemingly alerted to see her in there.

She swallowed her saliva. He was acting like the uncle, not like the possible lover. "I… I wished to come and thank for… For rescuing Kar…" Midna looked down, disappointed by his fatherly reaction. "I don't know what I would have done if he were… You know. Thank you." Her voice faded as she talked, facing the fact that if he was still addressing her as a family member, her chances were dead.

Gregory sat on his desk and studied her. He could not run away; she was blocking the doors. So all he could do was to observe the young woman and try to understand why she was there. Usually, he would have felt some panic at the idea of being locked up with her, but the alcohol calmed him, made him more logical and less stressed. "I did what I could." He answered flatly.

"Thank you still." After a moment, she straightened herself and finally looked up. Her eyes had regained that coldness they usually held. "I should leave."

"You didn't come here only for that." He stated, a little bluntly. The surprise was gone and since he had no escape way, all he could do was to face the problem with the little maturity he displayed when facing his best friend's daughter who had a crush on him.

She stared at him. She tried to be a woman, a lady, and not a frightened little girl. "Maybe. I see you have something on your mind."

He was quiet a moment, found his glass and took a sip of it. He was wondering what to say, what to do now that she was standing before him, that he had retained her from leaving. "I think you do too." He settled his glass down. "You wish me to treat you like an adult, so will I. Let's discuss what happened the last time we talked."

She was surprised by how forwards he was. Maybe it was the alcohol, she couldn't tell. But, there was also an opening that she hadn't suspected would be there. If he were ready to talk, then he certainly was not without interest.

Usually, he was a discreet man, she saw him, sometimes, as timid and almost fearful. And then, she remembered that he was her father's best friend and probably the only man in the kingdom who could stand up to Isca without trembling in his armor.

She took a step forward, joined her hands before her lap. She knew that her curves were apparent, that her body –the one of a woman, not a child- was appealing to any man. She knew that her silhouette, combined to her speech and intellect, would get to him, if she did everything in the right order. "I confessed my feelings and interest towards you, Gregory, and I am still awaiting an answer."

"I'm more than twice your age, Midna. You should hunt a young man, not an old one." He answered, focusing on her face and not on her body. He found his glass once more, shook it smoothly so the thick liquid would mix with the water of the melting ice. It made a tingling noise.

"Is that really a problem? Is it my age, or the fact I'm your captain's daughter?" She loved how he was composed, mature and not alarmed. She loved the tingling noise of the ice in his glass.

"Maybe both combined with the fact that I have seen you grow up." His eyes were still focused on her face. Never, he addressed her lustful glances.

She smiled, made it seductive as she kept coming forward. "I understand. Yet… I am a woman, now, not related to you in any way, and I am a woman seeking the attention of a man…" So far, she was impressed by how she was standing her ground.

For the first time, she saw the hesitation in his eyes. He was considering what she was asking. He was tormented, and it was apparent. He crossed his arms over his chest, kept looking at her as she drew closer and closer, swinging her hips as she neared him. Never, did he move away. Instead, he finished his glass, then lowered it to the desk and got up. "Can you really ignore the fact that you've been calling me 'uncle' since you were a child?" His voice held no accusation. He was discussing, really. Resisting.

"Can you really ignore the fact that I'm offering you my body?"

He froze lightly. _Touchéed_, she thought.

"This is not right, Midna. You are almost a daughter to me." He kept his ground, yet she didn't miss the short second during which his eyes focused on her hips.

"Almost."

She got even closer. Too close. He uncrossed his arms, giving access to himself.

They stared at each other and she knew by the way his jaws were tightly shut that his desires were slowly winning over his logic. She smiled, kept getting nearer, felt her own fire burn stronger and her heart beat quicker. "So…" She whispered, "is that a yes, or a no…?"

Gregory allowed his eyes to lower upon her body, upon her curves, and Midna knew that he wasn't looking at her the way he did when he was her "uncle". He was looking at her the way a man looks at a woman. Yet, she also could see how tormented he was.

It fed the ache in her lower body, making it more intense. She drew closer until her breasts touched his chest.

And he looked down at her as she stared up. She closed her eyes, knowing that he hadn't done the same. She reached for him, on the tip of her feet, to meet his lips with hers. He, of course, did not answer. Midna did not think he would anyway.

She broke the kiss. Their eyes met and where she thought she would find ice, she was surprise to be welcome by warmness. It was a success, a small one, which made her lips curl up in a light smile. His gaze lowered until it focused on her lips. She felt her cheeks become redder, felt her head become lighter as he leaned against her.

His lips brushed hers. She breathed softly, as if she was trying not to disturb him. Her heart had stopped in her chest. Or maybe it was beating even quicker. She could not tell. Her mind was spinning, so was her world and her vision.

She wrapped her arms around his neck just as he put his hands on her hips.

And the next second, they were exchanging a passionate kiss. She loved how she could taste the alcohol and the lingering smoke on his tongue and lips.

She pushed herself more against him. He did not reject her. Yet, he did nothing more than participate in the kiss and hold her hips. Midna knew that she would have to lead the events, for as soon as Gregory would retrieve his senses, it would be over.

They leaned back against the heavy wooden desk. His glass fell to the ground but did not shatter. It rolled, instead, to the right.

She wondered for a few moments if that was really what she wanted, if she wanted to push this farther… For if it was the case, the side of the desk was not appropriate.

To her right, there was a heavy and large loveseat installed by a library. It was not how she pictured it to happen, but she couldn't let him go. Not now. If it was her only chance to spend an evening with him as her lover and not as her uncle, she would not let it fly by.

Gregory started to caress her hips, going up to her waist and even daring to reach for her derrière. She knew that it was now or never.

Wrapping her arms tighter around his neck and burying her hand into his hair, she started to pull him to her. He followed, grunting lowly as she pulled at his hair.

She forced him to turn his back towards the loveseat and, slowly, Midna pushed her body against his until he had no choice but to sit down on the sofa, the young woman on his lap. Before he had time to say anything, her lips were firmly pressed against his once more, and he did everything but complain.

His hands found her skirts and he slid underneath, finding Midna's thighs, which he caressed upwards until he reached her buttocks. She moaned softly in the kiss, unbuttoning his shirt meanwhile.

It seemed to last a lifetime, and yet only a few seconds.

When his hands reappeared, she softly grabbed them to show the way to her corset, and broke the kiss.

He stared up at her, almost coming back to his senses right away, and he froze with the cords in his hands. "It's not reasonable, Midna." He simply whispered.

She looked down at him, pressed her index against his lips. "Can't you just enjoy yourself, sometimes?" Midna leaned down again, kissing him back while caressing his pale, muscular chest.

Of course, he did not answer. Yet, by the look he gave her, she understood that he was not about to run away. A sly, feline smile crept up to her pulpy lips as she brought her hands to her corset and undid it herself.

He watched, mesmerized, as she discarded it and let it fall to the ground. Slowly, teasingly, she found the buttons that kept her dress closed and undid them. She pulled it down, at first revealing her pale, pale shoulders, then her collarbones and kept pulling down until the fabric revealed much of her breasts but still hid her nipples.

Midna looked down at him. No, he wasn't going to even try to run away, would he even be able to think about it. Or think at all.

She pulled her dress down, revealing her heavy, round, pale breasts to Gregory. He stared, did not dare to move right away. Midna thought it was funny and frankly cute to see such a man being so troubled when facing a woman's nudity.

A naughty chuckle escaped her throat. She felt victorious, she felt powerful

Midna leaned down against Gregory. She caressed his chest, took all the time she needed to feel his muscles, and his scars. Her nipples touched his skin and she kissed him again. She broke the embrace and leaned her head back slightly, offering him her neck.

His lips found her pale, soft, white skin. She moaned softly, burying a hand into his hair once again.

She felt his heavy breathing on her skin as he descended upon her, as his mouth slowly found the flesh of her breasts, his tongue now circling her pink, erected nipples.

And, by intuition, she started to roll her hips. He groaned, became more insisting as he touched her. He pressed a hand on her lower back and pulled her closer against him, and she understood that it was his erection that she was feeling against her.

Would it really happen…? Was she really about to lose her virginity? On a loveseat?

There were footsteps close to the double doors. Gregory froze. So did Midna.

Suddenly gaining their lucidity back, they stared at each other.

"Did you lock the door?" He whispered, about to have a heart attack.

Eyes-wide, she brought her hands to her breasts, covering them. "Of course."

Had Gregory not been about to lose consciousness, he would have laughed at how she had planned all of this.

Instead, he pushed her to the side, softly. Midna sat on the loveseat. She started to pull up her dress and button it. Visibly, their night was over.

Gregory got up. He kicked his glass which had fallen on the ground earlier. It flew off before meeting the bookcase's wooden edges and shattered loudly.

The knight had no time to even curse that a knock was being heard on the door. "Father? Is everything alright? I heard noises?" It was, of course, Nicolas' voice.

Horrified, Gregory stared at the door, then at Midna. She had her own eyes glued to the knob as the boy tried to open the door. They were both glad that the young woman had thought about locking it.

"Give me a moment, Nicolas." Called Gregory to the door before hurrying to his desk.

Midna followed him with her eyes, perplexed as she saw him take the bottle of alcohol she hadn't identified and pour it, on his own free will, right on his chest and shirt. Then he took it off, stared at the young woman, sighing. He unlocked the double doors and exited the office, closing the doors right behind himself so his son would not see anything.

Straightening herself and her clothing with shaking hair, Midna listened.

"Father…? What are you-"

"Take this to Olga. I spilled my glass on myself."

"That was what I heard?"

"Yes. It shattered when it fell down. Now hurry, young man, I have a mess to clean."

"Yes."

She heard the boy walk away. Gregory waited a moment before coming back into his office. When he did, Midna was standing, her corset into her hands, ready to leave. She stared at him, smiling in a mocking way.

"That was a lame excuse, you are aware?"

He stared at her. Right now, it was not his highest preoccupation. All he wanted was to keep his son away long enough to permit to the girl to escape.

"Come. You have to go, now."

Midna nodded, understanding.

He walked to her to the backdoor of the house, where no one would see her leave. His son and Olga were, technically, on the opposite wing, so they were safe. Gregory opened the door and looked at her.

She smiled yet again. She leaned in and kissed him. He kissed her back without thinking.

"I'll see you soon…" Midna whispered.

She did not wait for an answer and disappeared outside.

Gregory closed the door and sighed heavily. He could feel a headache reaching him already.

What had he gotten himself into?

* * *

Isca was sitting at the tavern with Kira. They had been waiting for Gregory to show up, and he was visibly late. He never was late.

Isca was somewhat worried. He knew how his friend could become over-nervous and he feared that something might have happened that would strike the blonde man's nerves too harshly.

Meanwhile, the auburn lady was staring at him. She hadn't tried to seduce him ever since she had pressed her blade to his son's neck. It was better that way, thought Isca. He wasn't in the mood for some foreplay.

Yet, he knew the question that was lingering on her lips. And he did not know if he held the answer. However, he wasn't surprised one bit when, finally, she said:

"The boy… What with him?"

He knew what, usually, they should do with any spy. Yet, it hadn't been Kar's fault, exactly, if he had ended up there. Well, it was his fault for disobeying, going out and into the slums, but he sure hadn't picked that spot on purpose.

Isca stared at Kira. Her gaze held challenge. "I don't know."

She looked down at her mead, took a sip of it. "If you don't know, who will?"

"What is your proposition?" He knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it.

"Disposal."

"This is not going to happen. He's no spy; only a child who walked in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"And therefore heard enough to make the three of us be sent to the guillotine anytime."

He knew she was right. Yet, he refused to believe that Kar would betray him. "He won't talk."

"You're willing to take the chance he disobeys again?" She cocked her head to the side. "He did it once, he could do it twice."

Isca glared at her. She held his stare. "I won't let him be disposed of."

"You mean that you won't let anyone kill him. I understand. Yet, something has to be done."

"It has happened already, Kira: the boy is terrorized since you gently pressed your dagger against his throat and ruined his face in a wall."

She got up. Her icy eyes plunged into the knight's. "Then I'll make it clear, Isca." It was the first time she used his name. "This is an ultimatum: you find an idea to take care of him, or my men will find him and they'll silence him their way." Kira glared down at him. "I won't risk my life and my business for a reckless boy." She turned around and left.

Isca watched her leave, speechless.

He was lost, replaying the scene into his mind over and over again, barely breathing. He knew that Kira was serious; she would really eliminate the boy if he did nothing.

He wouldn't allow that. He wouldn't let someone slaughter a child.

His child.

* * *

A few days had gone by. The night was riding in, and Midna was sitting at the table on the large balcony on the second floor. Smiling, she stared up at the night sky.

How many days would it take for that high to leave? It was as if she was on drugs, as if nothing could go wrong, her world being a perfect universe. She hadn't seen Gregory since the last time.

_The first time_, she thought.

But she knew that she would see him again, and soon.

The ball was the next day. Her dress was ready. She felt beautiful. She was happy. What could go wrong?

Midna laughed, all alone. It was a light laugh, as soft as the summer breeze. She still couldn't believe it had happened.

"Are you sincerely enjoying yourself, or are you becoming as fucked up as Mathias?"

She jumped, turned around. Kar was grinning at her, now sitting on the other side of the table.

"I'm just in a good mood, leave me alone." Her voice was dreamy and warm. She was happy.

Kar's smile became softer as he watched her. He thought she was beautiful when her eyes took that glow. They were no more ice, but a warm stream in a flourishing forest. "I love seeing you like that."

"And I love seeing your face becoming normal again."

He chuckled. "I'm working hard on that." He still had a few scratches and bruises, but he was handsome again. "What's making you this happy, sister?"

Midna looked up at the stars. She shrugged softly. "I don't know. I'm just happy."

He cocked his head to the side. "Have you forgotten I am your twin brother? It might have worked with Mathias, but it won't work with me. So, what happened?"

Her eyes were sparkling. "Not your business."

"A man?"

She couldn't hide it. Could she? Midna decided not to answer. Yet, her smile grew larger.

Kar chuckled tenderly. He got up and walked up to her, kissed her forehead. "If he makes you happy, that's enough for me. But you'll tell me who he is eventually, won't you?"

She looked up at him. "If you're nice."

"I'm always nice."

They smiled to each other. The bond between them was strong, but sometimes, it was even stronger.

"I love you." She whispered, after a while.

"Me too, Midna."

Then he turned around and left for the mansion, hands in his pockets, whistling. She watched his back and thought that whoever the lady would be, when Kar would fall in love, he'd make that woman happy.

* * *

**I love Gregory. I love Gregory. I LOVE Gregory. **

**He's the hardest character to write in this whole damn story, Twisted Destiny included.**

**Anyway, please review!**

**Gamesplayers.**


	6. Chapter V

**Hello and welcome to chapter 5!**

**Ok, I'm sorry for the long time it took, but this chapter was kinda hard to write and my computer died, I've lost everything, then it came back and I got my stuff back. Also, I had dental surgeries and had to take painkillers and blablablabla, worked 40 hours a week… So, that's about it.**

"_**Oh no, how could this happen to  
Such an amazing young boy  
I had my whole life ahead of me-**_

_**Oh God, how could you have let this**_  
_**Happen to such a lovely young child**_  
_**I was their only son and I tried,**_  
_**Tried, tried-**_

_**[Spoken:]**_

_**Come on,  
Come on get out of the way  
Get out of the way man  
You're going to have to let go of his arm  
You have to let go sir  
We've got about two minutes here  
We've got about two minutes and we're going to lose him**_

_**Yeah, you, you miserable father**_  
_**The one who ignored me for half of my life**_  
_**Now I, I can't even look at you**_  
_**Why? Why? Why?**_

_**Don't abandon me now**_  
_**I don't want to die!**_

_**You can lead him to the ambulance**_  
_**But you cannot make him live**_  
_**No, you cannot make me live!**_  
_**You can lead him to the ambulance**_  
_**Lead me home!**_  
_**But you cannot make him live**_

_**Would, could I have done differently**_  
_**You never said there was anything wrong**_  
_**Now the drugs, they give me encouragement**_  
_**Why? Why? Why?**_

_**Oh God, tell me I'll make it**_  
_**I'll give you my blood if that's all you need**_  
_**Just don't tell me that I'm gonna die,**_  
_**Die, die!**_

_**Don't abandon me now**_  
_**I don't want to die**_  
_**Alone...**_

_**You can lead him to the ambulance**_  
_**But you cannot make him live**_  
_**No you cannot make me live!**_  
_**You can lead him to the ambulance**_  
_**Why can't we celebrate? Lead me home!**_  
_**But you cannot make him live…!"**_

_**Dead Man's Ballet**_**, SiXX AM. You'll understand why I chose this song for this chapter…**

**Replies to reviewers:**

**HextheDaydreamer**** : Of course Isca has a heart… which he keeps hidden, sometimes. Mathias is an interesting character, that's for sure, and he's quite nice to write I'm just surprised at how many good reactions he gets from my readers, it makes me happy. Ahah! Yeah, Gregory isn't the master of excuses… As we shall see later on as well. Well, I'm glad you love the new characters and thanks for reviewing once again **

**Monsterhunter100: Well, yeas Midna and Kar are close, but as twin siblings. There's nothing more between them. And Isca's not a dumbass, he's a man stuck between duties and ambitions, that is all. I'm glad your Internet is better and I'm sorry for the time I took.**

**NRZWolf13 : Yeah, it's kinda hard to answer your review without spamming the whole world. You're still surprising me at how much you aren't wrong about your predictions. Ahah! I'm a sadistic bitch too, don't worry, or I wouldn't be writing this kind of stuff. Oh yeah? Because I'm the writer, you think Gregory will go for the girl? Pf! I'd never do that! Well, yeah, they'll be "fucked"… That's for sure. And let's see who finds out first… Ohohohoh. Well, Mathias would totally go down on his bro, but… Yeah, but. ;) **

**Bribri : OMG! I'VE MISSED YOU! I'VE BEEN WONDERING FOR A WHILE IF YOU'LL EVER COME AND READ THIS! =D I love Isca too. I've never loved him so much as right now. And well, he's become quite an important character, let's mention this. It helps the writer liking a character when the writer has to write him a lot ;) As for Kar and Mathias… Well, the story will tell, don't worry. And Link… Ah, just read! WELCOME BACK, I LOVE YOU'Z!**

**THEBADASSLINK : YES, I'M UPDATING AS I CAN! **

**ZeldaStep : Hello Well, yeah, Mathias is special and awesome. And we'll see for Kira and Kar… Thanks for reviewing, and I apologize but I can't answer more to your review without spoiling the story **

**Genesisluv98: Yeah, I can picture Kar's reaction when he finds out for his sis and Greg, but the point is: will he find out? And will he be the first one? We shall see… Well, you do have a point: Isca will never be totally capable of ignoring Kar's resemblance with his real genitor… But will it be a handicap? Dunno, we'll see. **

**Kirkysaurus : I so keep inverting the 'y' and 'I' in your name, it's a sickness. Well, you got ma laughing madly when reading your review, awesome little thing. I'm glad I'm finally getting someone to concentrate on Midna and Gregory. They're FUCKIN' awesome! Ah, thanks for reviewing the way you do, me luvs you!**

**Ilovezelda : Well, I'm updating as I can, young person **

**So, I won't hold you longer. Go read and review.**

**Gamesplayers.**

* * *

V

Sighing for the hundredth time, Gregory gave up trying to make his necktie look nice. He couldn't concentrate on this, not right now. His fingers were clumsy and his mind was elsewhere, totally.

What had he gotten himself into?

When it had happened, that other night, when Midna had left he had wondered, he had panicked, but the feeling of her touch was still lingering, still blinding him. Now, days later, all he could think about was how deep he was buried in thick, thick troubles.

He was glad that Nicolas had walked by and brought him back to reality, for he didn't have to deal with the guilt of bedding her, alas.

Yet, he had to deal with the guilt of the pleasure he had felt. For even if the knight spent hours telling himself how wrong it had been to act this way, his body had a very, very different opinion.

And he would be seeing her tonight at the ball.

What had he started?

What had he done?

* * *

The night was riding in. It was warm and comfortable. The sky seemed made out of royal blue velvet and the moon, full, round and big, shone brightly. It was a perfect evening, like every single evening had ever been at Hyrule's Ball. It never rained on that night. It was never too hot or too cold. It was perfect.

In the large ballroom where the crowd was starting to thicken, Midna stood by her twin brother's side. She stared at the people, looking for a specific man. She was smiling to herself for she had been incredibly impatient to finally reach this ball. The brunette looked up to her brother, smiling. "Any interesting girl?"

He didn't hear her and was staring out the window.

"Kar?"

He jumped lightly. "Huh?"

"I was asking if you've spotted some nice girl out there yet." Resting her fists on her hips, Midna looked out the wide glass doors. There was no one on the balcony, which lay beyond the doors.

He shook his head. "No, I haven't been looking enough yet. Give me the evening, alas!"

She inspected his face. Though he was smiling and seemed just as handsome as always, the brightness in his forest eyes was dim. He looked somewhat tired. "Are you alright, Kar?"

He nodded. "Yeah... I've just had a rough night and little sleep." Her pale, pale eyes pierced through his. He felt as if she was reading his mind, -stealing his soul- and looked away.

"What's on your mind, brother? Is it what you heard the other day?"

He sighed very softly. "Yes. I've been thinking a lot. That is all." Kar smiled to his sister.

"Is this really all there is?"

He stared at her for a moment. Then he nodded and the brightness seemed to be lightly back into his green eyes. "Yes, Midna."

She nodded, feeling the sincerity in his words.

* * *

It was impossible not to spot Isca in a crowd. Smiling lightly, Zelda –who wore a velvety red dress- made her way up to her knight. She reached him, rested a soft hand on his arm. He turned around, his smile fading as he understood it was her and not someone else.

It hurt the blonde woman each time she saw him, now. He seemed so distant, while he had been so close not so long ago. "Good evening." She almost whispered.

"Good evening", he answered.

Beside him, Gregory looked at Zelda, then at his friend. The lieutenant decided to walk away and disappeared into the crowd.

"How are you doing?" She asked softly.

He stared down at her and seemed to wonder what to answer. "Fine."

"I take it you have enjoyed your free time, then." Zelda smiled, hoping he'd do the same.

But he didn't. "I have, thank you."

He was cold. Too cold. Yet, Zelda was not a woman to be afraid of a man, even as imposing as Isca. "I'm glad to hear you say so. I think you should come by the castle in the next week so we can discuss about your return."

He nodded. "I will."

She took a step back. "I will see you then." Zelda turned around and left, needing some space to breathe. She felt like she was choking around him, nowadays.

Isca turned the opposite direction, intending to talk to Gregory. Yet, the man was not there anymore. He looked around, tried to find his friend, but the silvery-blonde man seemed to have vanished into thin air.

The knight took a sip of his liquor before turning his attention to the crowd. He quickly found Tatl. She was discussing with Lord Michael and his wife and seemed to enjoy herself. Mathias seemed shy, not too far away, as he had attracted the attention of a rather pretty young girl with auburn hair. It pleased Isca to see his son with girls for sometimes he thought that the child was too spineless, too mannered...

Kar was alone, standing near the wide balcony glass doors. He was staring outside, a glass full of alcohol in his right hand. He seemed lost in thought.

Isca looked away.

He felt the side of his head burning and he knew that he was being stared at. He turned in that direction, already knowing who's eyes he'd meet. Kira was leaning against a white column on the side. She wore a velvety black dress, close to her body, which showed off her muscular shoulders nicely and hugged her hips in all the right ways. A sly smile on her lips, she stared at the knight, an empty glass into her hand.

Everything about that woman seemed to be sensual. Dangerous and sensual. The black velvet was perfect for her body, for her personality too. She looked like the panther that she was.

He stared at her as she let her eyes fall upon him. He knew what that look meant and he was not irritated by it. Somehow, he appreciated her attention.

Someone approached him from the other side. He turned to meet Gregory who looked somewhat weird. "Where were you?"

The blonde knight looked up sharply. "Nowhere."

"Yes, that I have seen." Isca chuckled. "Something happened? You look a little panicked."

Gregory seemed to freeze momentarily before he looked slightly away. "No. Nothing at all."

"You're being anxious without any reason?"

"Well... No. But it's nothing important, really. I've just been wondering if... I... Have let the candles lit... There's so much paperwork that could burn... In my office."

Isca blinked as he stared at his friend. Slowly a smile crept up his lips. "Greg?"

The blonde looked up and seemed almost afraid when he saw the amused, yet suspicious stare of Isca. "Y-yes?"

"You have servants."

Gregory stood still a moment. Would he not be so pale naturally, his skin would have turned white like snow. His mind raced to find something to say as it was apparent that Isca was now suspicious. He would find out right now and only Nayru knew what he'd do to him and-

Isca laughed.

Gregory blinked.

The tanned man rested a friendly hand on his shoulder. "You really should take vacations too, Greg. You're over-stressed." Said Isca, still chuckling.

The blonde man's mouth dropped open as he could not find anything to answer. Instead, he smiled sourly and looked away.

* * *

When Gregory had seen Zelda coming their way and addressing Isca, he had decided that he was best at the other side of the room completely. Since the silver-blonde man's glass was empty, he decided that he should get another one. The table on which the glasses waited was near the balcony doors.

Over there, Kar was staring at the night, seemingly lost in thoughts. Gregory neared him, offered the boy a glass of liquor.

"Oh, thank you." Said the young man.

Gregory smiled softly to him. "You look elsewhere."

Kar forced himself to chuckle. "Simply lost in thoughts."

"Haven't you found a young woman to put your thoughts into?"

The boy shook his head. "None have gained my attention yet, I'm afraid." He took a sip of his liquor and grimaced lightly. He was not used much to alcohol and wasn't much of a drunkard.

"But the moon has." Simply stated Gregoy, looking up at the sky.

A slim smile crept up Kar's lips. "She's faithful."

The knight chuckled in the back of his throat. "She is." He returned his attention to the crowd; saw that Isca was alone again. "I'll go back to your father. He gets lonely by himself."

Kar nodded and smiled to his uncle-like. "Thank you."

"for what?"

He shrugged. "Just for this short conversation."

The knight smiled to him. "It was my pleasure, young man."

He walked away, intending to get back to his friend. Instead of going through the crowd, he walked to the side of the room, where there were less people. He didn't pay much attention to the guests crossing his path.

Not until a hand closed around his wrist and pulled at him. Surprised, he turned... and met Midna's evil stare. He froze as he stared at her, as she pulled at him, and when he was close enough, she grabbed his shirt and dragged him behind the white columns, beyond a closed door.

Hands on his chest, she suddenly pushed him against a wall. Gregory had enough time to remark that they were in a small maintenance room filled with buckets, brooms and shelves. And also enough time to see that the door wasn't well closed, and that he could clearly stare at Isca's profile from where he was.

And a second later, her lips were on his, hungry.

He pushed her away softly, finally broke the kiss. "Midna, stop this!" He whispered to her.

She grabbed his necktie, pulled at it and chuckled naughtily. Her lips found his again.

He couldn't in his right mind enjoy this moment. Yet, he kissed her back, instinctively, for a few seconds before his logic came back. He pulled away, she got closer. He turned his head and looked into the small opening giving on the reception hall...

And met Isca's eyes.

Gregory felt like he was about to have a heart attack if his captain was not killing him before.

And then Isca looked away.

The lieutenant's heart started to beat again, just in time to start to feel Midna's hot tongue against his jaw and realize that she had put his hand on her breast.

He pushed her away softly and somewhat reluctantly, though he showed nothing of it in his movements. He grabbed her shoulders firmly, yet gently. "No." He simply said. "This isn't the time, nor the place, Midna."

She looked at him. Her childish eyes seemed to take a dim glow as she understood that he was being serious. Her pulpy lips discarded the smile that had played on her face. She glared at him, yet said nothing and waited. Gregory stared at her, tried to read her eyes.

"When will I see you again?"

He frowned, for she had whispered. "What did you say?"

She stared at him, her eyes cold and yet loving. "I…" She looked down, somewhat conscious of her childish behavior. "When will I see you again?"

Gregory stood still, examined her. After a short while, he sighed. "We shouldn't see each other at all." His voice was soft, not meant to hurt her.

She was quiet for a moment. "So you really don't want of me." She stated, her voice surprisingly steady. She pulled away from him, heading for the door.

"Midna, that's not what I meant." Gregory caught her wrist. "This is wrong. What we have done was wrong."

She looked up at him, eyes colder than ice. "It wasn't to me." She pulled her wrist free, roughly, and left the room, leaving the door open.

Gregory watched her leave, sighing.

He felt somewhat empty as he looked at her disappearing silhouette. Maybe she wouldn't find him again, after this little scene. Maybe she understood…

Yet, somewhere, he wished she'd come back to him.

She played on his mind, he knew him. He couldn't make the feeling of her skin disappear; he couldn't ignore her boldness and her recklessness, or her hungry lips on him. She was like a fresh breeze in his dusty, still life. She swept everything and put him into incredible situations. Dangerous situations.

And even though she made him risk everything each time she rested her hands on his chest, Midna also made him feel alive…

Being alive… Something he hadn't felt since his wife's death.

* * *

Midna stormed back into the reception hall. She felt sickened with sadness. She looked around, trying to find something, someone to talk to… Yes, she was going to find a confident. She needed it.

And no one would be better for this role than her twin brother.

She walked quickly towards the large balcony doors, heading for Kar. He would understand her, she knew.

Midna went in the crowd, even pushed some people away. She needed so badly her brother, needed to see his grinning face and player eyes. She needed him to understand her or reason her. She just_needed_Kar.

And she reached the doors.

He was not there.

Midna stopped. She stood still a moment, staring at the empty spot where he was standing when she left him a few moments ago. She had been with Gregory not more than five minutes. Where could her mindless brother went?

She turned around, stared at the crowd. Kar was tall enough and blonde enough to be easily spotted. Yet, she saw no one in there that could have been her brother. Quickly, she spotted her father and Gregory. She looked away, feeling the pain coming back, and found her mother and Zelda on one side of the room. She saw Mathias, alone in the back, next to a white column as he drank a glass of liquor.

Again, Midna turned around, examined the large room and tried to find her twin brother. She clenched her fists. He never was there when she needed him! She growled, and then went on the balcony. Maybe he was outside.

Her heels echoed on the marble concrete of the very, very large balcony. There were a few couples outside, courting and making out. She walked up to the large, white fence. Before her, the Royal Gardens seemed to stretch endlessly. In the bushes, down there, a couple were down at it. They were about her age. She watched the young man as he moved into the girl who kept moaning like some injured kitten.

Disgusted, she glared down at them. They had no class whatsoever.

Yet, she thought that maybe her brother was also busy somewhere in these gardens with some girl. It would be just like him.

In fact, he probably was making another classless slut mew somewhere in there.

Midna sighed in irritation. She gathered her skirts and went back into the reception hall. She would clearly reprimand her twin when he'd come back.

* * *

Mathias toyed clumsily with the empty glass in his hands. He stared at nothing in particular. He merely stood there, clumsy in his clothes, clumsy in his skin, at the back of the room. A few girls had tried to get him to talk, even to court. But not only was he not interested, he was also unable to keep the pace of such a superficial conversation.

Now, he felt disdainful towards every girl who eyed him. He was clearly handsome, and he was well aware of it. Yet, he hated any female who'd lay her eyes on him. He did not know why. It was only like that.

He had spent most of his evening staring either at the void or at Kar. But now that Kar had gone through the balcony doors and didn't come back, the boy had nothing really interesting to look at.

Recently, his relationship with his older brother had taken a heavy drop. Mathias didn't seem to be able to be around the blonde without craving rough physical contact, so the brunette kept his distance. And ever since the training incident, Kar seemed to think that his younger sibling was weird like Hell. Yet, he hadn't said anything about and had even gotten onto Mathias' nerves a few times, but the young boy was too edgy to participate in his brother's games, now.

He sighed. Nowadays, all his thoughts were oriented towards twisted, sexual things, and it mostly included his older brother. He fantasized over imaginary scenarios of Kar walking on him, being brutal and molesting him. Then, he'd turn the table in his head and would be over the blonde, making him scream and growl either in pain and pleasure.

And now, he was starting to admit to himself that he was weird. He hadn't asked anyone if they also did fantasize over their older brothers, but he was pretty sure that it wasn't normal. And even less when being a boy himself.

Mathias felt like a failure. He felt that he was betraying people's expectations. His father's expectations. He would have given anything, in fact, to be able to court girls and enjoy their sweet perfume and giggles like any young man. But he didn't. He cared for no women but his mother and sister.

Then, he thought that it would probably change when he'd be older, when he'd find more mature woman who would hold long conversations with him, talk about books and politics. Women with class, thin and not too curvy. Mathias didn't like curves that much.

He sighed heavily, emptied his glass, and felt miserable when even the alcohol wouldn't wash away his feeling of failure.

* * *

Tatl crossed her arms under her breasts and she sighed in irritation. Almost every guesst were gone and yet, they couldn't find Kar. Everyone had said the same thing: he must have been into the gardens with some random girl. Even Isca ended up believing this.

Yet, she was not satisfied. It wasn't the first time, now, that he was running away without telling anyone and sincerely, it was getting on Tatl's nerves. Was it genetic to be this irresponsible?

She was glaring at the gardens, standing on the balcony, when a soft arm circled her waist. Tatl did not look up, she knew it was her husband.

"Maybe he's back at the mansion." Isca's voice was soft, yet worried. He was trying to comfort her, she knew. But it wouldn't ease the anxiety of a mother waiting for her child to reappear.

She did not answer.

"I'm sure he is." He said, he consoled.

Tatl sighed softly, then closed her eyes a moment. The headache this child was giving her reached surprising peaks of pain. She finally nodded. "I hope you're right..."

They got back inside, grim expressions on their faces. Mathias was sitting nearby, staring with wide eyes at nothing in particular. He seemed to be waiting for something that would not come.

Near her brother, Midna was standing, hands joined before her midsection, head down. To her right, Nicolas had put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. To her left, Gregory seemed annoyed and worried at the same time.

"We'll be heading back to the mansion." Announced Isca. "He might be there."

"Will you need me?" Asked Gregory.

Isca shook his head. "Not now, thanks. I'll get you if we must conduct searches."

The silver-blonde nodded. He turned to his son and nodded once. The boy lowered his eyes and whispered something to Midna.

She did not move.

Nicolas let go of her, seemingly disappointed to do so. He turned around and joined his father who was already leaving.

Midna stared at the older man's back as he walked away. Tears in her eyes, she wished he would hold her right now.

Isca rested a reassuring hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Let's go back, dear."

She nodded and followed as they headed for the mansion.

* * *

"No, we haven't seen him..."

Tatl froze as she looked up at Olwen and Sheik. They hadn't seen the boy. No one had.

She turned around, feeling her irritation becoming, very suddenly, panic. She ran up to Isca who was walking towards her. Crying, she let herself fall into his arms. "They haven't seen him! No one has!" She screamed. "Kar! Kar!"

Isca hugged his wife tightly. He felt her pain, held her close as she seemed so numb against him.

He understood her pain, closed his eyes as he held her, and rested his head against hers. He smelled her hair and felt horrible to see the woman he loved so destroyed…

For a while he stood there, holding her, waiting until she would find composure again. When she finally calmed down, he kissed the top of her head.

"Darling," he whispered as Tatl pulled away and wiped her eyes, "let's look around the mansion. Maybe he's there anyway and he's only been sneaky." He smiled softly, though he was very aware that what he said had no sense. He merely wanted to make her do something so she'd stop crying.

She stared up at him, an emotion he could not decode on her face. Tatl nodded, after a short moment. "I'll go check his bedroom..." She whispered.

Isca nodded.

She walked away, in the darkness, heading for the boy's lair.

Isca sighed heavily. He ran a hand in his messy hair. He felt strangely calm, even if he shouldn't. He looked down at the floor, at the walls around him and thought that this mansion would never be the same again.

And he stared down at his hands, felt powerless.

Turning around, he headed into a random room, well aware that they wouldn't find the boy.

* * *

Tatl reached Kar's bedroom. She opened the door without any ceremony and pointed her lantern towards his bed, hoping to find him there. But it was empty. The whole room was empty.

Feeling as if the world was falling around her, she reached the bed and sat on it. She put the lantern on his end table and looked around. His whole bedroom smelled like him.

A sad, painful smile crept up her lips as her eyes became watery. She took a breath in and brought her hands up to her face.

And she sobbed.

She sobbed for a long time, sitting on her son's bed, smelling his cologne everywhere.

She needed her child badly, wanted Kar to come back home, wanted to slap him then kiss him.

And Tatl waited; let her pain run by until she had no more tears to cry for the moment. She felt numb again and wiped her face.

On unsteady legs, she walked to Kar's desk. There was nothing on it. She opened the numerous drawers, finding nothing but meaningless books of study. She sat down at his chair, stared at the wall before her and wondered what could have happened to her son. She wished he was only being reckless and selfish and that he'd come back the next morning so she could punish him and yell at his brainless head.

But somehow, she knew it wouldn't be the case.

New tears stung her puffy, irritated eyes. She pushed them back.

Sighing, Tatl rested her elbows on the desk and then her forehead on her palms. She closed her eyes a moment, tried to calm down. Her head was spinning, she couldn't concentrate, couldn't calm down. Her child was gone.

Slowly, she lifted her heavy lids. She stared at the floor, at the things that lingered on it. At the waste basket that had a few crumpled sheets in it.

Tatl smiled softly. She wondered what he might have written on these. She leaned down, reached into the basket for the papers. The first sheet was nothing but a to-do list that he hadn't accomplished. The second was a note sheet about the different populations of Hyrule.

She folded them and took the last one. It was crumpled in a very small ball, as if Kar had tried to make it disappear. Tatl wondered what she'd find there. Softly, she displayed the paper on the desk, before her.

And she became white.

_We know,_

_You've been looking around for information, we've seen you, and we were there. We know what you're looking for and we're willing to offer it._

_But it comes with a price._

_At the ball, when the moon will be at its highest point in the sky, come and join us by the fountain in the Gardens._

_Do not make us wait._

She grabbed the letter and got up, knocking the chair to the ground while doing so. She started running in the halls, panic and terror filling her.

"Isca!" She screamed. "Isca!"

Downstairs, he heard her call his name. Her voice made his blood freeze and his hairs stand up as it held pure fear. She kept screaming, yelling his name with desperation, like a caged animal, wounded and about to be tortured.

And he knew she had understood too.

She found him quickly, hysterical, she gave him the letter. She screamed and talked non-stop, yet he did not hear her as he read.

And then, he stared at his wife.

"He's been at the Temple of Time, Isca!" He heard her now. "He's been asking around, saying that the sword was calling to him!"

He stared at her.

"And you let him go?" He hissed, the anger starting to rise into his voice.

Tatl suddenly calmed down. "He's been going on his own! He simply disappears and goes there, talks with Rauru and with other people!"

"You haven't told him to not look into_that?_!" Isca asked, voice raising.

"I have! But he didn't listen!" She sounded so desperate. Yet, it did not really reach her husband.

He blinked a few times, re-read the letter. After a while, he shook his head and shrugged lightly, calming down. "I don't know, Tatl. It's not written exactly what is the information that got him into trouble. It could be that, it could be anything else."

"Could it be because he's Link's son?"

In years of marriage, it was the first time she dared to pronounce these words in front of him. It irritated Isca, yet, his pride was not what was at risk, right now. "That he has disappeared? It's possible. It depends on who has taken him away and why. It could be for money, as well. There is a criminal group that we've been hunting which kidnaps children to get ransom money."

"And they return the children...?" She asked, suddenly hopeful.

He stared at her. "... No."

She clapped her hands over her mouth.

"It doesn't mean they are behind this, Tatl. They usually take young children, not strong boys." She did not look comforted at all, and he shook his head again. "Look, I don't know. I need time to think. I'll get Greg and we'll go search the city. Kar mustn't be far..."

She nodded. "Yes... I hope..." Tatl whispered as she found a nearby chair to sit on. "Bring the Sheikahs with you. They see things that we cannot."

Isca didn't like the idea, but it was no time for arguments. He then nodded. "Yes..." He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "We'll find something, dear." He whispered.

Not looking at him, Tatl nodded.

Sighing, Isca left the room.

* * *

Midna watched the early morning rain fall through her window. A chilly breeze blew into her bedroom. Head on Mathias' shoulder, she closed her eyes and listened to his steady breathing as he slept. He had spent the night with her, in her room as they both couldn't fall asleep after realizing their brother was missing for real.

She hugged her younger brother and chuckled sadly as she thought of how big he already was for his age. He would be like their father in a few years, if not even more impressive.

But Kar, he would never look like their father. Kar, he would... Never...

She blinked the tears away, but they still managed to stream down her face and land on the boy's shirt.

She would have given anything for her twin to be back by her side. Already, she missed his grin and his stupid jokes. She missed the noises he made, the doors that banged and the people who screamed at him. She missed his chuckles and absurdity.

Midna had never loved him so much as now.

She laughed bitterly. It was true: you realize only the luck that you have when it's being torn from you. She had the luck of having an incredible twin brother. And now, he seemed to be gone.

All she wished for was that he still lived. And then she remembered how he had been attacked in the slums a few days earlier, and how he had mentioned that he had things on his mind and everything seemed clear to Midna: Kar had seen and heard things he never should have.

But so far, everyone had reached this conclusion. She was not being an incredible detective.

Downstairs, she knew that her mother had been waiting the entire night, crying. Her father was away, with Gregory, to find Kar. But Midna knew that they wouldn't find him.

She was his twin sister and shared a bond with him like no one else.

Kar would not come back. She was sure of it.

Mathias stirred. He was now awake. He had slept not more than two hours. Looking terribly tired, he asked, mumbled, if Kar was back. Midna did not have the heart to say no. Yet, the boy seemed to understand as he sighed heavily.

He turned on his side, hugged his sister tightly.

And Midna cried in his arms.

* * *

"I'm so sorry..." Whispered Gregory as he rested a friendly hand on Isca's shoulder.

They had been looking through the city for hours and hours. Hundreds of men had been sent to look for the boy. No clue had been found, nothing at all.

Kar had disappeared.

Isca shook his head and looked down. Yet, he said nothing. He felt nothing. What he might have felt, he kept it deep inside, hidden under the armour, under the skin and the muscles and the bones... He didn't thought he could really say it to anyone anyway. Not even Greg... Never.

Sighing, he massaged his closed eyes.

And behind his lids, images of Kar as a child came haunting him. As if living again the moment, he remembered so clearly the boy's joyful smile and big, green eyes as he had run towards him, arms wide open, calling him "Daddy". One of the last times he had done so.

Then, when Isca finally looked up at his men, at his lieutenant and friend, it was guilt that kept him from talking. A ball of pain deep into his stomach, into his throat, keeping him from giving any kind of orders.

Under Gregory's worried gaze, Isca turned around, wordless, as he left his militia and headed home, head down.

Guilty.

* * *

Melody woke up to the soft sound of waves crashing on the beach shore. She turned on her side, rolled into the sheets to cover her nude, cool skin. The wind blew softly through the window, pale curtains dancing lazily with the breeze.

She was alone, his side of the bed cold. Judging by the silence coming from the house, he was outside. She moaned softly and crawled to his side of the bed, grabbing his pillow and hugging it against her body. She pressed her face against it, smiling when finding his scent in the fabric.

The sun was already high in the sky, its rays filtered between the curtains when the wind blew, and landed right on her back. It would be a warm, sunny day.

She drowsed for a short while, going through scenarios into her mind, imagining what she wanted, shaping up scenes and thinking about what had to be done for the day. And after a while she finally opened her eyes and stared at the corridor through the open door of the bedroom.

Melody sat up and yawned, wrapped the light bed sheet around her body, tied it above her breasts, and exited the bedroom. Sometimes, she preferred being naked.

She walked up to the kitchen, stared out the window at the sea as she ran her hands through her wavy golden hair. She missed her father's ship on days like these; days when the water seemed so pale and welcoming... Yet, life in this village, beside him, was great. She was happy.

Melody looked up at the pale, blue sky, and at the high sun. It was about time to eat, he'd come back for food. He always came back for food. Smiling to herself, she gathered ingredients and started to prepare the meal.

She was not a romantic woman, never believed in the knight-in-shining-armor stories. Never believed in magic love and never dreamed of impossible, passionate romance. The few men she had known had been just as down-to-earth as her, and it had been okay like this. And after a cancelled wedding and a major heartbreak, Melody had, sincerely, given up on the idea of finding a man again. She was ready to spend her life with her father on his ship, travelling and fishing. It was a decent life with nice and joyful people.

And then somewhat of a fairytale had fallen upon her. He was not a knight in shining armor, neither was he especially tall, and he certainly wasn't romantic, but their story had been special nevertheless. He was a quiet man who lived alone with his wolf in a house on the beach. It had been enough to make her curious.

He was mysterious, often staring in the distance, thinking. His gaze would fill with nostalgia until he'd lower his eyes and sigh. He always did that.

She loved to spy on him, loved to examine what he did, find out the patterns of his actions. Melody knew his schedule, knew his manias and she could exactly tell what he was thinking, all depending on the look he gave her or the way he smiled.

But what she could never tell was what he was thinking about when he stared at the sea when he believed she could not see him.

He hadn't told her much about his past, said that there was nothing to say really. He was from Hyrule and had decided to leave at some point. He had an explanation for everything, and all he told was possible and plausible. Yet, she knew that he wasn't telling the whole story. Maybe that fog over his past was part of what attracted her to him.

Yet, whatever was drawing her to him, it had been enough to convince her to stay by his side. Well, seeing him risk his life while running into waves, in the middle of a rainstorm, at the beginning of the winter, to get her had helped, also. He was that kind of man; unable to take a decision until the very last second and even when the time was up, sometimes, he hadn't made up his mind. Then, it was too late and he started to move and risk everything.

He was just like that; illogical and emotive, for if he tried to take a logical decision without the advice of his guts, it would take an eternity and a half. Yet, he thought himself to be calm and reasonable. It made her smile.

She heard the door to the opposite side of the house open. She heard a light growl and claws scratching the wooden floor, and then felted steps coming towards her. Melody smiled, looked down at the wolf as he grabbed the sheets with his fangs. He pulled at her softly, whining lightly.

Laughing, Melody took a piece of raw fish and gave it to the wolf. It took it happily and walked away, leaving her alone.

She returned to her occupation, waiting and knowing perfectly well that he'd be there a moment later.

She smiled when she felt his hands on her hips before he circled her waist with his arms. He kissed her head before pulling her against him and hugged her.

He didn't say anything, merely smiled against her head. From the corner of her eyes, she saw his sandy hair.

He kissed her neck softly; she let him go on as she continued to chop the vegetables. His hands were back on her hips, caressed their way up to her breasts and once again, she let him feel her. Yet, when his left hand found the node of the sheet above her breast, she put her own, smaller hand on his.

"I'm busy, dear."

"It can wait..." He whispered into her ear.

She closed her eyes, shivered. "After. Let's eat first."

He caressed her breasts, his hands moving expectedly. She took a deep breath, feeling that she could give in to him; that she wanted to.

"You sure...?" He whispered again.

"Hm... After, Link. Let me... Finish."

He chuckled against her, bit her ear.

Melody took a step away. She stared at him from above her shoulder, then turned around to face him. He had that amused, naughty expression that she knew so well. She laughed softly, brought her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. He did not resist and pushed his weight upon hers so she'd end up stuck between the counter and his hot body.

No, it was not a fairytale, she thought. It was better than that.

And just like that, the sheet fell to the ground.

* * *

**So? I want reviews now.**

**This marks the end of the first part of the story. We have 6 chapters written so far on 25, just so you know. It's longer than **_**Twisted Destiny**_**.**

**Seriously, I want reviews, you bunch of hysterical fangirls!**

**With all the love of the world,**

**Gamesplayers.**


	7. Chapter VI

**Welcome to chapter 6!**

**If you are reading me, you unknown person who submitted **_**Twisted Destiny**_** to a nice M-rated community, I wish to thank you. It's an honor. **

"_**I don't want to die**__**  
**__**Out here in the valley**__**  
**__**Waiting for my luck to change**__**  
**__**And I just want my dad to know**__**  
**__**That I finally made it**_

_**Everybody gets high**__**  
**__**Everybody gets low**__**  
**__**Everybody gets bruised**__**  
**__**Everybody gets slow**_

_**I don't wanna die,**__**  
**__**Out here in the valley**__**  
**__**You don't have to lie**__**  
**__**I know that's what I'll do**_

_**I don't want my mom to know**__**  
**__**That I never loved my life**__**  
**__**And I sold my soul**_

_**Everybody gets high**__**  
**__**Everybody gets low**__**  
**__**Everybody gets bruised**__**  
**__**Everybody gets sold**_

_**Everybody gets dark**__**  
**__**Everybody unfolds**__**  
**__**Everybody gets high**__**  
**__**Everybody gets so low**_

_**And everyone's eyes are blue**__**  
**__**And everyone's mouth is dry**__**  
**__**And nobody wants to die in Van Nuys, Van Nuys**_

_**Everybody gets high**__**  
**__**Everybody gets low**__**  
**__**Everybody gets bruised**__**  
**__**Everybody gets slow**_

_**Well you don't know how to get back to your crawl space**__**  
**__**Underneath the dirt and the rust and the waste**__**  
**__**But the sun sets fast these days.**_

_**Everyone's eyes are blue**__**  
**__**And everyone's mouth is dry**__**  
**__**And nobody wants to die in Van Nuys, Van Nuys**_

_**Everyone's eyes are blue**__**  
**__**And everyone's mouth is dry**__**  
**__**And nobody wants to die in Van Nuys, Van Nuys**_

_**Everyone's eyes are blue**__**  
**__**And everyone's mouth is dry**__**  
**__**And nobody wants to die in Van Nuys,**_

_**Ohhhh everyone's eyes are blue**__**  
**__**And everyone's mouth is dry**__**  
**__**And nobody wants to die in Van Nuys"**_

_**Van Nyus**_**, SiXX AM. Another song for Kar.**

**Replies to reviewers:**

**Monsterhunter 100: Yeah, I know. People are happy that Link's back. I'm too, I was starting to miss him, I must admit. KAR?! WHERE'S KAR?! Just read and be happy Yeah, I know I can be long for an update, but a chapter usually means at least 30 hours of work… And when I work too much, I don't find the 30 hours, neither the energy. And I've been lightly depressed, recently… Oh well. **

**HextheDaydreamer : I know, right? It was meant to be a chapter full of events and pretty important. Everything is starting off from there… And yeah, Link's back and he's got a wolf! And Melody… Melody… Who is she to him, hhhhhum? ;) As for Kar… Well, as a good writer (I hope I am), I'm answering… **

**SoulPieces : Helloooooo! =D Things are less busy this week, but I'm also going back to university, so I dunno if that'll keep me from writing or not… We shall see. Thanks for reading, it always makes me happy to read a happy reviewer **

**Kirkysaurus : Woman! I know, Gregory's hard on Midna and hard on himself too. Yet, he's gonna be hard for some other reason soon enough… Yeah, seeing who Kar's father is, it's not that surprising that the boy's missing, you're right… Everyone ends up agreeing on that. Of course Link was to re-appear while fondling some woman! We're talking about LINK, after all! Hehe. Waiting for your review for this chapter. I want it long and juicy with ovaries and chocolate everywhere.**

**Darkwolflink1: Link's gonna explain later on how he got the wolf, don't worry. And Kar, I too wonder how's he doing… Poor kid. Yeah, I know. I've considered marrying Midna and Greg together since it was not badly seen at that time to be a much older man with a younger cutie, of course. But Greg isn't very hot with that… Nah, Zelda isn't married and she does not have kids. So we have troubles when it comes to the heir, don't we? ;)**

**NRZWolf 13: Well, Kar has disappeared, but he knew nothing of Link when it happened, so he wouldn't be gone looking for him, that is not exactly logic. As for Kira… Yes, she is a plausible suspect. Indeed, Midna ain't happy with being rejected. But she isn't some horny teenager, she's not gonna jump the man in desperation. She'll manage, you'll find out soon… Mathias: you'll see in this chapter. Yes, Isca… It's… Sad, isn't it? I'm falling more and more for him, I must admit. I love Isca, very dearly… He's… Something. Well, I haven't planned only 25 chapters yet; the story is constructed of 25 chapters that have been planned from A to Z even before Twisted Destiny was complete. And I corrected the mistake you pointed out. Thanks, dear ;)**

**Princess-of-all-Saiyins: I'm glad you like Midna and Greg. I love 'em too. Very, very much. And yeah, it's pretty true that every little girl once had a crush on a much older man; a relative, a friend, a neighbor, a teacher or a friend's dad. Karrrrr… We'll see. Keep reading, babe. About Erk, Link will explain later on, don't worry. And if you're nice, someday I might make a lil' somethin' just for ye'. ;)**

**TheBadassLink: I love you too. I'm glad you think Midna and Kar have a good relationship, because it is the case (this proves that I'm a good writer =3) and I am even more glad that you pointed out Link's an asshole, BECAUSE HE IS and everyone keeps idolizing him anyway. And thanks for your concerns; my face is better. **

**We had elections in my province on the 4****th**** of September 2012. It was really important because we've been having strikes and riots for six months, now. And a new government took the power, most people thought it would be better. Three hours after their victory was announced, an old man entered their reunion room and started shooting in there. He killed a man, wounded another one. The prime minister (a woman, for the first time in our History) was taken away to safety. Then, the man was locked outside and he set the door on fire. He was arrested right after.**

**Yes, Canada can be rough too.**

**IMPORTANT NOTICE****:**

**THERE IS A LONG LEMON AHEAD. BEFORE COMPLAINING TO , PLEASE WRITE TO ME, FOR I WOULDN'T BARE MY WORK TO BE THROWN OUT THE SITE FOR THE SECOND TIME, THANKS! And besides, it ain't this explicit… **

**Now, I want reviews. I want your thoughts and your reactions. Lots happen in this chapter.**

**Feedback, babes, please!**

**And good reading!**

**Gamesplayers.**

* * *

VI

Head throbbing, Kar took another step into the knee-high, burning sands of the desert. Skin burnt, lips dried and cracked, he didn't paid much attention to whatever might have been coming his way anymore. He had no more water, had destroyed his map in a fit of rage and fury and couldn't care less about whatever might happen to him now.

He had been in the desert for three days now and it seemed as if it had been an eternity.

Breathing heavily, his vision blurry, he took another step forward. He was dead anyway. He knew it and had accepted it. He was about to die in the desert, alone, and burnt down to ashes under the torrid sun and in the burning sands.

And the scenes replayed in his mind. He remembered how relieved and yet terrorized he had been when the hood had been taken off of his head and his hands untied. He remembered the brief pain his right side had felt as he had been dropped to the ground like a vulgar piece of trash.

But the hope had died shortly after… After he had… Learned.

Exiled from Hyrule, through the desert… Alone with a map, a few bottles of water and a sword.

"_You've always dreamt of adventures… Now's your chance…"_

He couldn't even cry at the irony of the situation anymore.

He was too shocked anyway to cry. He had been through this, two days ago. So pained that he couldn't get up the burning ground. He had thrown up, cried and shook. All of it as he had learned the truth about everything.

Everything.

And suddenly all his questions were answered. And everything had a sense.

Because he had been lied to all his life.

Kar's legs gave up under his weight, suddenly. He fell to his knees, in the sand. His thighs shook in exhaustion as he fell face first into the burning desert dust.

_So this is it… I'm gonna die here._

He smiled.

And he cried himself into unconsciousness, wishing he could go back to a home that had never been his.

* * *

Tatl sat in the large living room on the first floor of the mansion. She watched the cold rain fall down, her features rarely changing. She did not cry much nowadays; she did nothing but stare in the distance with a blank expression.

In the mansion, a heavy atmosphere was pressing upon the occupants since Kar's disappearance. The air seemed still, the family seemed still, the servants tried to make themselves invisible.

Behind Tatl, Olwen was standing, in the shadow which was his custom when he wasn't in the kitchen. He didn't know if she was aware of his presence and he didn't mind if she did. He merely stood there, waiting, protecting. Thinking.

When Isca and Gregory had searched the city for the boy, he and Sheik had been with them. And when the usually cold knight that was his master had suddenly seemed lost in grief and had turned around, leaving the commands to his second, Olwen had felt that something wasn't exactly right. Well, Kar's disappearance wasn't right to start with, but something in the knight was… Troubling the older, wiser Sheikah.

Sheik hadn't seen anything wrong in Isca's reaction. He had even softened, believing that the knight was grieving, really. Olwen couldn't point what was disturbing him about the knight's attitude, but there was something. He felt it. Would he have been in a better mood, he would have called it his _feminine intuition_.

He had looked into a few things ever since the child's abduction, but he couldn't find anything strange, anything fishy. And the little Isca had said seemed so right and true that it was impossible to find a gap in that testimony, in these hypothesis. Yet, Olwen was suspicious.

Sheik had said that anyway, the older Sheikah was not objective when it came to Isca: they hated each other with somewhat of a quiet, yet violent passion. It was then normal, had mentioned the blonde man, that the butler couldn't trust his master.

And Olwen had kept quiet, not wishing to start a fight with the younger man. Though he knew that Sheik was right (he and Isca did hate each other), he also knew that his suspicions were deeper than this…

And so he waited in the shadows for a gap in the knight's attitude or words…

* * *

Isca was in his very own study, hiding. Forehead pressed into his hands, he tried to chase the headache away, thinking over and over what had happened, replaying every scene into his mind eternally. He never thought he could feel this horrible, even after _that_.

The knob to the room turned softly, slowly. He straightened, not wishing that someone would see him being so vulnerable. With quiet steps, Tatl entered and closed the door behind her. Her head was low, she seemed so tired and beaten up. Isca noted that she had lost weight. He got up, walked up to her. She did not move, let him hug her cold body.

Tatl did not cry. She did not find the strength to do this anymore. She felt empty, emptier than when Link had left… She rested her head against her husband's warm chest and closed her eyes. And with a voice so quiet it sent chills up the knight's spine, she declared: "We have to tell the children, now."

Isca knew what she meant. Yet, he needed to be sure. "About… what?"

She did not look up. Did not move. "Link."

Softly, he let go of her and turned around, stared at the walls. He rested his fists on his hips. He had known, all these years, that the moment would come when they would have to announce the truth to the children, but he had hoped that, maybe, it wouldn't have been necessary.

"They have the right to know… To understand why their brother is missing." She whispered.

He twitched.

And Isca almost turned around and slapped her, screaming that it had nothing to do with _him_! That she did not know, couldn't understand! That _he _couldn't always be the reason of everything! Instead, he took a few deep breathes. He was not going to be violent with his wife…

The souvenirs of his father beating his mother came back haunting him. Ashamed, Isca pushed these memories away, killed his sudden intentions of hurting Tatl. Reluctantly, he nodded, his back still turned to her. She did not know. Couldn't know. His head hurt.

She rested a hand on his arm. He pushed her away without roughness, but neither with softness.

Behind, she stared at him, her hand still in the air. She lowered her gaze, feeling Isca's wrath. "I'm so sorry…" She whispered.

"It wasn't your fault." He answered, voice darkened, yet still calm.

"If… I hadn't fall for L-"

"No need to push this conversation further." He glared at her, slowly turning around. "I was there, I know what happened." Isca declared darkly, crossing his arms over his large chest. His softness was gone. "Now, leave me alone…", he paused; calmed down,"…please…". He looked away. Even after all these years, he was still hurting when thinking about what happened back then.

Tatl nodded, turned around and left the study as quietly as she had entered it.

Isca uncrossed his arms, sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair before scratching his three-day beard. Tatl knew and had known even before falling for _him_ what was Isca's point of view about infidelity. She had been warned, she knew the whole story: Isca's father had been a violent man, along with a cheater who had brought shame on his family when it was discovered that he had a bastard daughter with a gypsy woman, somewhere in Termina, the neighboring kingdom. Isca had never met his step-sister and would never do.

Tatl knew all this when she had cheated on him and gotten pregnant of the Hero.

He had never forgiven her. And he never would. Isca had learned to live with the pain and the anger. He had learned to keep it quiet and concentrate on other things, and Tatl had been nice enough to be quiet about this subject too.

He stared at the wall.

Now, they'd have to tell the children. It wouldn't change anything much for Mathias, but he'd probably be shaken. He looked disturbed nowadays. Isca assumed that it was puberty. That could be a hard time for a boy… Especially a boy his size. He knew, he had been there too.

And Midna… She would react badly; and it hurt him deeply… Isca loved her as his daughter; he had always loved her, even more than Tatl. Though the girl did not have his blood running into her veins, she had his pride and his sense of justice.

She was his pride.

* * *

_He saw the boat through the pouring rain and even had a hard time identifying it._

_Will... I be… on time?_

_He ran into the water, its weight slowing him down. He breathed heavily, the cold wind and temperature burning in his body each time the damp air filled his lungs. The coldness hugged him, the racket of the rain falling into the water filled his ears. _

_He couldn't scream, no one would hear._

_What have… I done… Again?! Haven't I learned… Anything?!_

_He cursed, didn't mind his hair sticking to his face. Nothing could stop him now._

_His jaws shook violently from the winter cold. He wore barely anything; he hadn't taken the time to dress up. He had to hurry._

_Forgive me!_

_He tried to push more, tried to run faster. A wave crashed against his knee and it was all it took to throw him into the unforgiving sea. Swallowed by the water, his body ejected what air he still had in his lungs as the winter sea was too cold and his body too hot._

_Yet, he managed to find the sand beneath him._

_Get up! No time!_

_He rose; look left and right until he found where the ship was. When he spotted it, he turned and ran again, his thighs shaking under his weight. _

_He was getting closer, and his heart sank as he saw that the ship was leaving shore._

"_Melody!"_

_No answer. He jumped into the wave until the water reached his waist._

"_Melody!"_

_He couldn't let her go. He couldn't. It would be the greatest mistake of his life. A life filled with mistakes.._

_He stood in the water, his heart about to explode, his brains seemingly swollen with each beat._

"_Forgive me!"_

_The waves washed over him, his stature being not imposing enough, they dragged him closer to the shore, farther from the ship. He fought their strength, until his muscles gave up and beyond that, screaming her name._

_And the rain poured down, the sky darkened. The ship seemed unmoved; his heart beat with the Time._

_And it rained so much. He couldn't see, couldn't hear._

_Not even when the small boat arrived close to him. _

_He turned around, skin almost grey, lips turning blue._

_And she wasn't in the boat._

Gasping for air, Link sat up abruptly in the bed. Eyes wide, he let his breath slowly escape from his parted lips. He looked to his left, where Melody was sleeping peacefully and relaxed as his heart started to beat at a normal pace again.

She was there, it was ok now.

He watched her sleep peacefully, feeling weirdly empty. He had that nightmare often, reliving the moment when he had run to get to her in the waves. But in the end, she was not in the barque, Melody was gone.

He stared at her, listened to her deep breathing, and examined carefully her sleeping features, bluish skin and hair in the moonlight. He then leaned on his elbow, trying to get back to his side of the bed without disturbing her sleep.

But he elbowed her arm anyway.

"Hmm…" She moaned.

Link cursed. He let his weight fall down completely. She was awake, now. No need to try to be subtle anymore.

"Nightmare?" She asked, voice heavy with sleep.

He ran a hand in his hair, pushing them backwards to free his face and nodded into the pillow. "Yeah…"

Melody slowly crawled into the bed until she reached him. She put an arm around his waist, holding him against her with the best of her capacity.

He chuckled. He always chuckled when she did that.

She rested her head on his shoulder, buried her face into his slightly sweaty skin. "I'll protect you now, get back to sleep." Melody whispered.

Link smiled, turned his head to look at her. She already seemed to be falling asleep again. He kissed her forehead before turning on his side. He pulled her to him, hugged her tight and held her as she slept against his chest.

He caressed her hair until the sun appeared into the sky, nose buried in her hair. He couldn't sleep anyway.

And he smiled against her, thinking that it was true. Melody did protect him in her own way.

She was everything he had wanted and needed all these years.

He felt complete when holding her.

He was happy by her side.

* * *

Midna sighed softly as Nicolas took his arm away from her shoulders. He was more confident now and he even looked somewhat like his father. It was the jaws, she thought. Or maybe the eyes. He had something of Gregory anyway.

The boy did not displease her, but he was still too young… Too immature for her. Yet, she was starting to get accustomed to his presence, to his reassuring voice and his caring smile. He was trying to support her through the hard times she was living.

Sometimes, he even made her smile.

But Midna would have preferred the attention of his father.

So he took his arm off her shoulders. She looked slightly up, bored, to see what he was going to do or hear whatever he was about to say. He smiled softly to her.

"I'm sorry, Midna, but I won't be able to stay much longer by your side today…"

_Such a pity…_

"And I'll be away for the whole week-end… Since I'm becoming a knight too, I have to go and train with the other pages in a secluded place in the forest. I can't tell anything else, it's secret." The boy grinned.

She looked up at him, smiled and nodded. Yet, only one thing resonated into her mind as Nicolas left…

Gregory would be alone for the whole week-end.

But they had argued… She shouldn't go back to him after this. He did not want to pursue this affair anyway… He did not love her the same way she loved him… He-

"Midna? Mother and Father are asking us down."

The young woman jumped and looked up. Half in the room and half outside, Mathias stood, staring at her, looking clumsy in his body as always.

Midna sighed heavily, got up and joined her brother.

"I hope it's important…" She mumbled.

* * *

Mathias sat nervously beside Midna. She had her hands joined on her lap, composed and proud. Facing her, Isca studied the girl's features one last time before everything would change. He loved his daughter dearly and the thought that, maybe, he was about to lose her was slowly tearing him apart.

Beside him, Tatl faced Mathias. She stared down at her hands.

Impatient, Midna sighed and crossed her arms under her breasts. "So, why are we here? We have better things to do, like searching for my missing brother." She stated, dryly.

Tatl looked up, glared at the girl. "Midna, we haven't asked you and Mathias here without reasons."

"Then, what's the meaning of this?"

"Your mother wishes to tell you something important, Midna." Said Isca. His voice was so calm, so soft that it surprised the girl.

She looked up at her father. There was an emotion she could not understand on his face as he stared at her. Something like nostalgia, pain and… regrets? Her heart started to pound into her chest. She rested her hands on the table, fingers tightly wrapped around the wood. "D-dad…? What is it?" She whispered.

Isca sighed, looked slightly away.

"Midna…" Called Tatl, voice soft. "I have something to tell you."

The girl returned her attention to her mother. "Yes…?" She hoped that they were only going to tell her that she was engaged to Nicolas or anyone else in the world, but the feeling in her gut told her that it was something worse. Was it about Kar…?

Tatl took a deep breath. "There is something we've been hiding from you and Kar, and even from you, Mathias."

The boy looked up, suddenly less nervous. Yet, he didn't say anything.

"Midna…" Whispered Tatl. She reached for her daughter's hand, but the girl pulled it away. "I'm so sorry but…"

"I am not your real father."

Isca's voice was calm, and monotonous. Dry.

Tatl stared at him, speechless before her husband's lack of sensitivity.

Midna turned towards Isca. He was staring to something on the opposite direction as the thunder of his voice, of what he had just said fell down into the room. "What…?" Breathed the young woman.

"Isca is not your real father." Repeated Tatl, voice firm but filled with infinite sadness. "I was promised to Isca but… I... fell for another man and got pregnant with you and Kar. That man then abandoned me and I married… Your…"

Midna slammed her hand down on the table. "HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO DAD?!" Suddenly, the young woman was standing, glaring and growling at her mother, tears in her eyes.

Tatl froze, mouth opened, eyes glued to her daughter's.

"You were supposed to support him! To love him! You _cheated_ on Dad?! HOW COULD YOU!" Midna stared at her mother as, quickly, the rage subsided and the realization that Isca wasn't her father came to her. Her legs became numb and she fell back upon her chair and started sobbing.

And just as suddenly as she had started to sob, Midna got up again and ran away. Tatl watched her leave as Isca stared at the floor, stared at anything that wasn't a human being.

She looked at him, hated him for his brutality, for making Midna hate her even more than before.

The Twili got up, gathered her skirts. She looked above her shoulder at her husband and offered him a poison-filled glance before following the trails of her only daughter.

* * *

Midna was crying so loudly that she did not hear the door to her bedroom as it was pushed open and as her mother walked in. The girl, curled up on her bed and sobbing, ignored the other woman's weight as Tatl sat down at one extremity of the mattress.

Her back to her daughter, the Twili sighed softly. She joined her hands on her lap and staring at the wall before her, she started to talk: "I've known Isca since we were young. I was a princess of another kingdom, so different from here..." She had a sad smile. "I spent most of my summers in Hyrule with Zelda. We were good friends since childhood. Isca was a page when I met him first. In his teen years. A shy young man with wide eyes, a sweet smile and softer than honey." She had a quiet laugh. "He used to blush when seeing me." Tatl marked a pause, noted that her daughter's sobs were slowly calming down as she listened to her. "Then, in my kingdom, I was looked down upon when mother died. My father and brother abused me and someday, I decided that it was enough and I ran away. My father caught me and took my titles, disinherited me and sent me away with Olwen. I came to Hyrule because I knew Zelda wouldn't let me down..."

She looked at Midna, as she felt the young woman's stare on her. Smiling lightly, she added "and I was a romantic young woman who hoped to find love. Just like you."

Tatl returned her attention to the wall. "Isca was there to greet me. And even today, I remember how handsome he was in his shinning armor, that day… Smiling and caring, soft and innocent. I was in love with him." She played with her fingers, noted that Midna was quiet behind her. "And then, there was this ball. The annual ball. I was accompanying your father. Gregory was with us too. He too used to smile and laugh a lot." She shook her head in nostalgia. "So, I walked away from Isca at some point, met people. And then, I saw him. Close to a table, standing with Sheik nearby. Your real father, Link. He wasn't a tall man, and rather thin at that time. He had sharp features, much like Kar, dirty blond hair that fell upon his face messily." She smiled to herself. "He had the most seductive smile I had ever seen and eyes that pierced through you, through your soul. You have his eyes."

Midna snorted.

"He tried to charm me. Even though he was charming and he had charisma like no one else, I walked away. I was in love with Isca, and I was too good for that small man, I told myself." She laughed bitterly. "Link tried, later on, to molest me. Of course, Isca did not let this happen. And I thought that it was over, that I would never see this man again and I'd live a nice, romantic life with my knight."

"But then there was that war…" Whispered Midna.

Tatl looked at her, eyes filled with tears and a sour smile on her lips. She nodded softly. "It wasn't a war. The king of the Gerudos, Ganondorf, took over the kingdom and destroyed Castle Town in the blink of an eye. Zelda, Isca, Olwen, Sheik, Link and I escaped and we met because Link had… Put his hands on the Master Sword."

Midna sat up. "What?" She asked, suddenly understanding where her mother was going.

Tatl nodded. "Link revealed to be the Hero of Time, and us, his comrades to save Hyrule." The Twili sighed heavily. "I fell for him after some time and cheated on your father. When he learnt it, he tried to kill Link and almost succeeded. But the triforce of courage seemed to have brought him back to life. I fell pregnant during the trip and Link started to change. Before I knew it, he was a different man and was walking away from me. I had the feeling that something was wrong, but I could never foresee that after the final fight, after saving the world, he would run away without even saying goodbye. And then, I was pregnant out of wedlock, without titles, without a shelter. I was starting to admit to myself that I would have to raise my child in the slums when, during the next ball, your father proposed to me. You know the rest of the story."

She looked at her wide-eyed daughter and smiled tiredly. "Yes, Midna. Your father is the Hero of Time and the bearer of the triforce of courage…"

The girl stood still, eyes reddened by the tears. She stared at her mother, not understanding or maybe over-understanding… "So you tell me it was that man's fault if you let him seduce you?"

Tatl blinked, then her stare hardened. She thought the girl would be impressed by what blood ran into her, forgotten a little about the entire cheating story. "No. I'm telling you what happened."

"Why now?!" She screamed.

"Because… It's possible that your brother disappeared because he's the Hero's son…"

Midna blinked, looked down, stared at her hand, at her knees at anything as her jaws shook more and more. "You… are telling me that Kar might have disappeared… because of that man? You're telling me that… if Dad never exactly loved Kar it was because of that resemblance with that man… You're telling me that all the shit that has happened in our life and recently is because of my… Of the man who fucked you?!" She screamed at her mother.

Shocked, Tatl was speechless by her brutality, by her sudden vulgarity. And at that moment, she saw Isca in her, in that explosion of pain and anger. That explosion of rage.

"Leave me alone!" Yelled Midna. "Alone!" She grabbed a pillow and threw it at her mother.

Tatl caught the pillow. Angry, shocked and yet deeply saddened, she got up, the pillow in her arms. She exited her daughter's room, listening to the young woman's sobs as she started to cry herself, hugging the pillow.

* * *

Mathias locked himself in his bedroom. He walked around quickly, turned and turned, ran his hands into his hair as everything span in his head. As everything shook within him. He was Isca's only child, only _son_, now! No, it was unbearable, he couldn't, no no no no no NO!

He was too weird, Kar had to be there. Kar could have made it okay. Kar. Kar Kar KAR! He, he was a normal son, he was a normal man, he could have made Isca proud, give him grandchildren, give him everything a son should be giving his father!

NO!

Mathias sat down, hysterical, shaking.

The pressure. The pressure was too great, too important. Overwhelming. He was overheating, over-stressing. He was over-everything!

He lay down. Sat back up. Walked around again. Sat, lay, stand, lay, roll, stand, walk, sit…

And his mother! How could she do this to his father! How could she dishonour such a glorious man by letting another dirty man bed her…? She was so weak. Women were so weak!

All but his sister. Midna was not weak. Midna was a strong woman. Midna was Kar's twin…

Kar's twin…

And what if… What if he could subdue all these dark scenarios of his dreams in which Kar was and… Imagine Midna instead… He had seen her naked, he knew what she looked like he…

Mathias slapped himself across the face, hard. He whined, tasted the blood in his mouth. And he felt calmer suddenly.

He lay down on his bed. It wasn't his first crisis… But it was the most intense he ever had…

No, the pressure wasn't too much. He would be strong enough to live to his father's expectations.

And his mother was a weak woman. Like all the women.

But not Midna.

He would protect Midna from men. She would be his sweet sister forever.

The only pure woman.

* * *

It was past midnight.

Midna wrapped herself in a cape. Everyone was asleep in the mansion. She had heard distant fights and cries during the evening, judging that, most probably, her parents were arguing.

Her parents… The thought made her throat tighten.

_Dad…_

She shook her head. She needed to leave now. Needed to be comforted…

Slowly, quietly, she escaped the mansion. Not even the Sheikahs seemed to be awake. She left by the kitchen door, leaving it unlocked so she could come back later.

She walked in the damp, cold night, shaking because of the low temperature. She had no idea what she hoped for by going there… But she needed it. She needed it just as much as she needed Kar to reappear into her life. Right now.

Gregory's large house wasn't far. She reached it quickly. She knew that at this hour, the servants would be away. She knew that he would be alone because his domestics did not live with him like they did with her family. With all her might, she knocked on the door.

There was no answer. She knocked again. And again. And again, until her knuckles hurt and she started to cry again.

"P-please…! Greg-gory…." She leaned against the door, feeling heavy with the weight of everything she had heard, learnt and couldn't accept yet.

Then, she felt herself falling, not realizing that the door was being opened. But something caught her, and she dug her fingers in that warm, comforting figure. She knew it was Gregory as he pulled her to him, held her tightly with one arm so she wouldn't fall, as he closed and locked the door with his free hand.

She buried her face in his chest, crying, breaking down.

And then, he pulled the hood of her cape down and caressed her hair. He whispered something into her ear, his voice soft and low. She felt his arms around her, felt that he was pulling her somewhere and followed, gradually calming down.

He pushed on her shoulders. She obeyed and ended up sitting on a comfortable, crimson velvet sofa. He sat across from her, close enough, and leaned over her. When her eyes met his, she felt relieved to see that he looked worried and not irritated.

"I'm so-so sorry to… Disturb you in the middle of… the night…" She whispered, hiccupping.

He shook his head. "It's fine, Midna. I wasn't sleeping and you obviously need some company." He smiled to her, so softly.

She started to cry again, hid her face in her hands.

He caressed her hair softly.

She calmed down again, until she could take her hands away from her face. "You knew everything didn't you?" She whispered.

Not understanding, Gregory frowned. "I'm sorry?"

"Isca's not my real father."

Gregory stared at her. Yes, he knew. Tough his captain had never said anything about it, he had known it all along. But he never thought that they would tell the children… Softly, he took her hand. "I'm sorry, Midna…"

She stood still, head down. Distressed.

He stared at her reddened face and eyes, her messy hair and she looked so juvenile… so broken. Sighing, Gregory changed place and sat beside her. He took her into his arms and she pressed her head against his chest.

They stayed like this for a while. He caressed her hair as she listened to his heart beating, eyes closed. She did not wish to talk anymore. It hurt to think, it hurt to say these… things. So she concentrated on him, on his proximity, on his cologne and on his fingers in her hair, and noted bitterly that this was the most agreeable contact they have had ever since the beginning of their ridiculous affair.

Maybe he preferred distressed woman…

"May I stay here for the night?"

Gregory jumped lightly. He seemed to be lost in thoughts. And then, he looked down at her.

Staring up, Midna repeated her request.

He considered her a moment, and nodded. "You can take my bedroom, I'll take Nicolas' bed since he's away-"

"No." She shook her head. "I want to stay with you." She closed her eyes. "Against you."

Normally, he would have pulled away, told her it wasn't right, that her request had no sense, that it couldn't be done. But that night, he merely looked down at her and admitted to himself that he couldn't say no. He couldn't let her alone in her distress.

So he didn't reply, merely kept caressing her hair.

Until she sat up.

She looked at him. Already, her face was less swollen, but her eyes were still hurt, weak, compared to their normal, wild glow. She took his hand in hers, and pulled at him so he would get closer. Gregory obeyed.

Midna leaned against him, brushed her lips against his. He pulled back lightly.

"You know we shouldn't." He whispered.

"Yes. But that was when I was your boss' daughter."

She kissed him.

Gregory didn't resist. Couldn't resist. He didn't know why he couldn't push her away like he normally did. Couldn't understand why he found himself slowly taking the lead in that kiss, why he pulled her closer to his body.

And then, Midna broke the kiss. She caressed the older man's jaws softly. "Bring me to your bedroom. I'm tired."

He stared into her eyes, tried to find the vicious, sexual hint that her words suggested. But there were none. And he really believed that she wanted to sleep.

Taking her hand, he led her in silence to the master's bedroom. It was a large, pale room with a massive bed and little furniture. She let go of him, neared the bed. There were big and large windows that offered a nice view on the street below. Looking into the night, she took off her cape and discarded it to the ground. "Am I promised to Nicolas, yet?"

Gregory, standing by the door, stared at her back, at her curvy silhouette in the darkness. "… Yes…"

She nodded lightly. "He's a good boy."

"Yes… I'm very proud of him."

He saw her raise her right hand to her dress. She unbuttoned it slowly, her gaze still glued to the streets outside. "Am I worthy of him?"

Gregory's eyes followed her movements. "Of course you are…"

"Even if I'm not Isca's daughter anymore? Even if I'm a bastard girl, nothing more than a whore?" Her voice was soft and steady, troubling.

"He has always considered you his daughter, Midna. He loved you and still does. And no, you are not a whore."

"Yet, I'm about to let you bed me. Out of wedlock. Just like my mother did with my real father."

"Midna, stop saying these things." His voice grew more authoritarian.

She let her dress fall to the ground and stepped out of it. Naked, she walked to the window, exposing herself in the night.

Gregory could hardly take his eyes off of her. When dressed, she was gorgeous. But naked, he never thought she would look this… incredible. Shameless, she was exposing herself, her curves, and her intimacy. He examined her profile, her heavy breasts, fine waist and large hips. She made him think of a nymph, or a fairy. A siren. Something too beautiful to be touched, a trap for men who could not resist.

And he stared at her from where he stood: right beside the door, hand still on the knob.

"Aren't you going to come and get me?" She asked, voice ghostly. "You're a man. I'm a woman. I'm weak and you're attractive. It seems that I should let you take me."

"Midna… You don't understand your mother. You cannot judge her."

She turned her head towards him. Her face half hidden in the darkness, he could only see one piercing eye as she glared at him. "And you can?"

She marked a point and he, a pause. "No."

Midna faced him, in her nudity. She did not hide, did not look shy. She walked to the bed, looking at him, and sat down on it. "I'm waiting for you."

"It will not happen." Gregory answered.

"Why?"

He shook his head, looked down –away-. "You're engaged to my son, and I cannot, in my right mind, do this after seeing you grow up, Midna."

"You have less and less arguments each time, Greg. You'll end up not having any."

He looked up at her. She defied him with her stare.

"Show me." She whispered. "Show me how it works so I can please your son when we'll be wed."

Disdainful, he turned around. "You need to sleep." He tightened his grip on the knob. "Good night."

She got up, quickly.

Gregory turned around just in time to see her eyes before she tackled him to the door and forced her mouth on his. The surprised was complete as she grabbed a handful of his silvery-blond hair and pulled.

A moment later, Midna broke the kiss, stared up at him, glaring daggers. "You're not walking away on me again…" She pushed her body against his.

Gregory was strong enough to push her back easily. But he didn't. Instead, he participated in the kiss, felt her aggressiveness slowly fading away as he held her naked body against him. He had known ever since she had undressed that he wouldn't resist her if she dared to touch him.

He was a man, after all. A lonely man who's last physical contact with a woman was when his wife was still alive…

Midna pulled at him, lead him towards the bed until she could sit down on it and break the kiss. Gregory stood before her, he caressed her cheek. She knew that he would take her if she wanted. She knew that he wanted to, that he was excited. She could feel it as she caressed his chest, stomach and ventured lower…

He let her undress him with shaking fingers, caressing her face, shoulders and breasts as she did so. He waited patiently, his guilt and conscience buried deeply into his mind.

And as she slowly undressed him, revealed his skin and scars, Midna realized something that seemed the cruelest thing in the world: she knew nothing of men. She knew nothing of what her fingers were doing or what she should be accomplishing, really. No one had taught her, no one had explained it to her. It wasn't the kind of talk you have with other people when you were a woman, not even with friends… She merely knew that it would hurt, at some point, that he would penetrate her.

And yet, her hands slowly did their work as Gregory caressed her skin softly, almost reassuringly. She listened to his breathing as it increased in speed, which made her heart race into her chest.

As much as she had wanted this to happen, she was scared.

Midna had read books, erotic stories which were considered forbidden. She had pictured this peculiar moment as pleasurable, instinctive. Easy. In the books, things always went the same way… Always the man on top of the woman… And she loved it… She…

He caressed her lips with his thumb. Midna looked up, not sure she understood why he did this.

Gregory's eyes seemed clouded as he stared down at her. He did not say anything, did not wear that uncertain look he usually did when she touched him, when she teased him. He almost seemed different.

Getting impatient, he finally discovered himself when Midna couldn't find the strength to continue… She casted her eyes down on him, then back up. Tears gathered in her eyes. But in the darkness, he could not see it.

She froze, kept looking at him. Her heart raced into her chest. She was going to give herself to Gregory, like she had wanted it so often, almost prayed for it. And it was the most terrifying realization she ever had.

Feeling her stiffness, Gregory lowered himself upon her, pushed her on the bed so she'd lie on her back. Softly, he got on top of her, kissed her and caressed her. Midna wrapped her arms around his neck, blinked back her tears and tried to concentrate on the knight's tongue as he carefully took care of her breasts, and went further down…

She resisted when he spread her legs and when she felt his mouth at the base of her pubis. He was not really going to…?

And then, Midna felt his tongue. She wrapped her legs around his neck, clapped her hands over her face as she held back moans and tears, sobs and cries. It was a strange orgasm that she reached, sometimes later; the most pleasurable she had had and yet… She could not control the tears, now, and occasionally the sobs.

Gregory got back on top of her, she whispered the Goddesses' names softly between her tears. He kissed her, hugged her tight.

And then, he broke the kiss. She felt his erection against her wetness and stared at him. He stared back. His gaze less clouded.

"I will stop if you tell me to." Whispered Gregory, voice soft and caring.

She plunged her eyes into his. He caressed her cheeks and lips once again. She let him do, breathed heavily, but slowly.

"Teach me…" Midna finally answered, feeling calmer, safer suddenly.

He hesitated a moment, seemed to be thinking this over once again. "You are certain?"

She nodded, her conviction coming back slowly.

He lowered his gaze upon her once more before sighing very softly. Carefully, he installed himself between her legs. She shook, her whole body trembled as she was suddenly feeling so cold… As if she was laying in a pool of ice.

Gregory kissed her forehead, kissed her lips, and deepened it for a little while until he felt that she was lost in the moment, lost in the eroticism of their tongues dancing together. And then, only when he felt her relaxing, did he start to force himself inside of her.

She twitched, moaned in pain and broke the kiss to turn her head to the side, biting her lower lip. Her thighs closed on his hips, her nails dug into his skin.

Gregory stopped. He kissed her face, her neck and shoulders. She whined, took a few minutes to get adjusted to his presence, seemed to calm down once more. Midna knew that it was her virginity that was crying out, her barrier that tried to hold its last fight before being broken. Forever.

He waited patiently, would have withdrawn if she had asked. But she did not. And when the pain was becoming number, she smiled in a fake way to him, telling the knight to continue. Once again, he asked her if she was sure. Once again, she nodded.

And this time, there was no turning back, Midna knew well. Gregory would not stop after that thrust, after her barrier would be broken. If she were to stop him, it was now.

But she didn't.

And he thrusted into her.

She let her head fall into the pillow, bit her lower lip again as she clenched around him. As her whole body clenched around him, his intrusion. Tears in her eyes, she thought that she was going to die, thought that he had ripped her apart.

Gregory kissed her neck softly, her collarbones and shoulders. And slowly, he started to move into her.

It was not pleasurable to her. Not at first, and it wasn't exactly nice afterwards neither. She slowly adjusted to the pain, and it even disappeared at some point. Midna relaxed into his grip, concentrated on the feeling of his naked body against her, of his kisses on her skin.

She listened to him as he groaned lowly.

And she wondered if her mother had felt this way too. She wondered how Tatl had felt, her first time. Was it with Isca or her father? Had she felt pain? Had she wanted it? And when these men had taken her… Had they changed like Gregory? Had their eyes become clouded with lust?

She got used to his movements, ended up feeling some kind of heat building up inside of her. Yet, she kept her eyes shut and her arms tightly wrapped around her lover's neck.

And her brothers? Did their eyes become darker when they were horny, too? Were all men like this?

He raised one of her leg and rested it on his shoulder. It changed the angle, and Midna felt as if he was going deeper into her. It was somewhat pleasurable.

Gregory rose on his knees, grabbed her hips tightly and thrusted into her, visibly lost in the moment.

The darkness covered him, but the light coming from the window enlightened Midna's curves. With each thrust, her breasts bounced, and she felt suddenly so inappropriate to be exposed like this… She covered her breasts with her hands.

Gregory grabbed her wrist and pulled it away, softly.

"No…" He whispered, voice hoarse.

She looked for his eyes, but hardly found his features in the night. So she let her arms fall to the bed and grabbed the sheets, tightly, and turned her head to the side. Midna felt her body shake with each thrusts of Gregory's hips, felt his burning stare on her. She wondered if she should feel shy or proud, aroused or mortified.

And again, she wondered what to do, wondered how her mother had lived through these nights…

Well, she understood that it was pleasurable for she felt more and more sensible, more and more lusty. She felt herself becoming wetter, hotter… And suddenly, the silence was destroyed with wet noises…

But it felt wrong anyway to just lay there and be stared at… Be used…

And then, his thrusts became stronger, but slower; his groans deeper and more animalistic. He let his head fall down and moved again a few times… Before withdrawing from her. She watched, surprised as she saw him reached for his member with his right hand and move a few times, quickly…

He came on the sheet, beside her, avoiding her with success.

She felt Gregory shaking lightly as he groaned to get off of her before crashing down on the bed beside Midna. She did not move, but her hand found the sperm on the sheet beside her. It was sticky and hot, somewhat viscous.

On his back, Gregory breathed heavily, ran a hand through his messy hair. She turned around, stared at his profile. Eyes closed, he seemed to suddenly be taken by a rough headache as he grimaced lightly. Midna turned on her side, rested a hand on his chest.

And he opened his eyes.

He did not look at her, not right away, and she understood that he was back to reality, back to the world in which he had just bedded his best friend's daughter, his son's betrothed. That he had taken her virginity for only a few moments of pleasure.

A long sigh escaped his parted lips.

"I liked it." Whispered Midna in the night.

He looked at her, seeming perplexed.

"I like it." She repeated. Casting her gaze down, she got closer to him, hugged his side.

Gregory stared at her a long time, even as she cried against him. He couldn't bring himself to caress her anymore, couldn't bring himself to console her. He had just taken her innocence, had tarnished her beauty, her youth.

He felt horrible.

Yet, he felt incredible. Midna made him feel like this, as she cried herself to sleep, as he watched her curled up figure against him.

And he admitted to himself for the first time that he needed her.

Gregory turned on his side as the sun rose into the sky and hugged Midna's sleeping body against him, confused between his duties and his wishes…

* * *

It was a hot day in the desert even for the Gerudos.

Jade, knees burning, finally got up. She stared up at the high temple in front of her, at the Goddess of Sands, at her people's mother. Her prayers were done for the day; she could go on with her duties.

Scimitar hidden under her light, pale tunic, she gathered her spear laying on the ground beside her and found her desert boar near. The large beast was sleeping shamelessly in the burning sands. The young Gerudo woman stared at her mounting and wondered how it could endure such hotness so easily.

Well, the beast had thick lathery skin that felt like an armor and which was said to keep the heat away from its organs. It was also said that it hid massive pouches of water in its belly at all time. Such weird creatures, she thought.

Jade woke up the boar. It groaned unhappily. She mounted it with ease, even graciously, and caught the reins. She was about to get back to the fortress for another long, platonic day of preparations…

The golden-skinned young woman kicked the boar. It started walking lazily towards the fortress. Towards "home".

The wind blew.

Jade stopped the animal. She looked around and a shiver ran up and down her spine. The Goddess of Sands… The temple. She had never been farther in the desert, it was forbidden. It was said to be filled with ghosts and monsters waiting to kill those who were too brave, too reckless.

Her yellow-gold, almond-shaped eyes rested in the distance. Of her face, only her eyes were exposed for she wore a protective cape against the sandstorms. It was custom to wear this when going into the desert and it was, frankly, quite useful and comfortable.

Her slender, gloved hands tightened around the reins, her nails dug lightly into her palms. Was she about to disobey?

She looked up at the sky, asked for advices that she would never receive. Some Gerudos said that the spirit of the temple always answered their calls. However, Jade had never heard anything from that immense shrine, often thinking that the divinities above had turned their backs on her.

She was, after all, the daughter of Evil himself.

Jade closed her eyes. The sun shone down on her back, made her sweat under her pale, ankle-long desert tunic. At the fortress, they would quickly realize that she would be missing. They would send a patrol in the desert and find her, bring her back at all cost and then isolate her for a few days.

She had to be tamed, said the warriors and the witch of the tribe, or she wouldn't be able to enter her future functions…

Jade sighed. She opened her eyes, focused on the sands far beyond the temple. There was nothing in the horizon, nothing to see. Nothing to do. Yet, she felt attracted for no reason at all.

Maybe it was today? Maybe her wishes would be realized? Maybe… her destiny would change?

A shiver crept up her spine, making the hairs on her body stand up at the idea of an adventure. What if she would find a relic, something important in the sands? And what if that thing took her away, into Hyrule or elsewhere?

She pulled the boar's reins. The beast groaned and turned, slowly.

Heart beating quickly, Jade kicked the animal so it would go faster. She offered a defying glance to the Goddess as she passed by it.

The Gerudo rode into the desert, alerted by anything she might spot.

But there was nothing but a few cacti, once in a while. Jade let the boar slow down as she felt tired, all of a sudden. All her anticipation was gone. She had behaved childishly by believing she might have found her destiny in the desert, on that very hot morning.

It was ridiculous; she had a destiny well written ahead of her, and it was one that was envied by many people. She wasn't a low member of the tribe, after all…

The boar stopped. It groaned, whipped the air with its bony tail.

Jade looked over her shoulder: the Goddess of Sands was very small on the horizon, now. It looked like a little totem.

She wondered if the warriors were already worried enough to send troops after her.

She looked ahead. There were dunes of sands. There was sand. Everywhere. She was starting to hate the sand.

Up, the sky was a pale, pale blue. It seemed hot as Hell, looked like the sun was burning its colour and turning it slowly white. There were no clouds. A large bird flew by.

A large bird? She followed its trajectory.

It started to circle in the sky, nearby, and joined a small community of birds that looked alike. Altogether, they spun in the sky, above the burning desert. They cried together, menacingly.

They were vultures, most probably circling a dead animal.

She frowned. It was rare for an animal to end up dead in the desert… There were simply no animals in the middle of it. They usually lived near the sands, but rarely ventured in there. She wondered what poor beast had ended up lost in such a wasteland.

Curious, she kicked the boar's side. It started walking lazily towards the vultures' prey. Jade wasn't found of carrions… But she was intrigued nevertheless.

She got closer. She could see that something was, indeed, laying on the ground, half buried into the sands. There had been a small sandstorm in the morning, she remembered. The animal must have been caught up in it.

It was a pale, long creature, she quickly identified. She came closer as there was no blood, so she wouldn't have to face an injured beast smelling bad…

But as she got closer, she also realized that it might not been an animal that she was staring at: or it was a very weird creature with golden, curly hair…

And suddenly, what she was staring at became clear: she saw hair, a shoulder not yet buried into the burning sands, a leg… A human was there!

Quickly, Jade jumped off her boar. The animal whined and lay down, falling asleep almost instantly.

The Gerudo ran and dropped to her knees as she reached the person in the sands. With quick, experienced, gloved hands, she dug up around the person's face so it would be able to breathe… If it was still possible…

And when she discovered his features, she recognized a young man. Heavily burnt by the sun and dehydrated. He had curly blond hair.

Jade sighed. A Hylian man. What would she do with a Hylian man? They had plenty at the fortress…

Yet, she leaned down on him, rested her ear near his nose. And she felt it, felt the slow, fading breathing of this young, unfortunate man. She looked up at the sky. The vultures were screaming at her, seemingly unhappy. She did not mind them.

Jade turned around, brought her fingers to her lips and whistled. The boar woke up, startled. It laboriously got up and walked towards her as she busied herself with digging up the unconscious young man. He wasn't buried very deep, the sand hadn't swallowed him.

She got up, looked at the animal. "Lay down."

The boar stared at her, seemed almost curious.

Impatiently, she glared it. "Lay. Down." She pointed towards the sand near the young man.

The boar looked down at him, up at her finger, then back down at the unconscious Hylian. It took a step forward and proceeded to lick the young man's face.

"No! You stupid beast!" Jade screamed.

The boar looked up at her again and waited, confused.

Jade sighed. Sincerely, why couldn't they find more intelligent animals? Couldn't they get into Hyrule and buy horses? Or just steal them. No one dared to come in the desert to provoke the Gerudo warriors, nowadays.

She rested her hands on the boar's head and pushed down. The animal whined, resisted. She pushed more. It seemed to understand what she wanted and it lay down, on its belly. Jade cursed quietly before turning around and grabbing the young man by his shoulders. She lifted his upper body and found out how heavy a man can be, even more when all numb like this…

Groaning, she pulled at him, dragged him into the sand. She was glad that he was already on his stomach, for she did not have to turn him around to install him on the sleeping boar. She rolled her eyes.

Yes, the boar was sleeping. She heard it snore.

She tried to pull the young man on the beast's back, but he was too heavy. She let him fall down, sat on the animal and stared down at what she had found. Seriously, she was going to bring him back to the fortress? Why? Because she couldn't let him die in the desert? He wouldn't be the first Hylian abandoned by her people to his fate.

But maybe it wasn't his fate… Maybe he wasn't supposed to die there, in the sand, eaten by vultures. She reached under her tunic, took out her gourd and took a good sip of water. She would have to display all of her strength to put that tall guy on her boar.

And then, she wondered if he'd wake up if he received water. She merely emptied half her gourd on his head. Beside wet hair, nothing changed. She stared down at him, wondered if he could be useful when awake.

And then she got up. It was time to get rid of that task and go back to the fortress. Her destiny wasn't about to change that day; she had only found a Hylian in the desert. If he survived, he'd end up as some sex slave like all the others. She wondered if, when not burnt and dehydrated, he was handsome.

Once again, she grabbed his shoulders and lifted him. Damn, he wasn't especially large and muscular and yet, he was so heavy! He must have eaten a lot before getting lost.

She groaned loudly, pulled with all her strength. Sweat marks appeared on her pale desert tunic. Eyes shut tightly, she pulled, gave all she could and… it worked! Well. Almost. He was now half-way installed on the boar's back. The animal woke up and whined.

Jade rested her hands on her hips and stared down at the male wreck she was trying to bring back "home". Seriously? All this effort for that unknown man?

She rested her hands on his lower back and pushed. It did not work, but if she were to lay her hands lower it probably would work…

Jade stared down at his posterior…

_Really?_ She thought to herself. She wasn't going to touch him _there_.

She thought about pulling him by the hair. It seemed better.

But not. She did not wish to injure him further.

Below, the boar moaned.

Jade rolled her eyes. He would never know it anyway. She rested her hands on his butt, looked elsewhere. She did not blush, but felt uncomfortable. Yet, she pushed and suddenly, it worked. She took her hands off, sighed and looked up at the sky.

Was this a bad plank from the Goddesses?

The Gerudo sighed. She finished the remaining water she kept, and then hit the boar on the shoulder. The animal slowly got up.

Jade climbed on the beast' back. Behind her, the young man hadn't moved. She rested a hand on his shoulder as she took the reins with her other hand. Slowly, the animal turned around. The Gerudo kicked it into a trot and she headed towards the fortress.

In the end, she hadn't met with her destiny…

* * *

**Now, I hope that all of you who were complaining as to where Kar was are happy. **

**And I'm hoping I'll get feedback. And, like, long reviews. You know how I love long reviews? I'm a whore for long reviews.**

**So university has started back, friends. Not entirely, the strike ain't over yet (well, they're voting today). **

**Ahhhh, sweet life. **

**This story is getting into the interesting part slowly, friends. It's becoming juicy ;)**

**NEW, REVIEWS!**

**With luv,**

**Gamesplayers**


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